Touch-panel input device

ABSTRACT

A touch-panel input device as disclosed in the specification comprises a touch panel and an input controller capable of switching between a right-hand two-point touch input sensing mode suitable for the placement of right fingers and a left-hand two-point touch input sensing mode suitable for the placement of left fingers, wherein the input controller senses two-point touches on the touch panel in either of these input sensing modes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a touch-panel input device.

BACKGROUND ART

Various proposals have been made regarding the operations of digitalcameras; for example, a digital camera having a touch panel is proposedin Patent Literature 1.

Various proposals have also been made regarding touch-panel inputdevices; for example, an analog resistive film touch panel capable ofdetecting two-point touches is proposed in Patent Literatures 2 and 3.

Proposed in Patent Citation 4 is a digital camera comprising a displaydevice capable of acting as a dial button of a touch panel, wherein acamera lens is capable of rotating, whereby usually the camera lensfaces in the direction of arrow D and the display device faces theobserving user.

LIST OF CITATIONS Patent Literature

Patent Literature 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No.2009-105919

Patent Literature 2: Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No.2009-146191

Patent Literature 3: Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No.2010-26641

Patent Literature 4: Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 11-32245

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem

However, there are various problems that must be examined in detail inthe operations of digital cameras and the practical application of touchpanels, and examinations in the practical aspects of touch panelscapable of multi-point sensing in particular are as of yet insufficient.

In view of the matters described above, an object of the presentinvention is to provide a practical touch-panel input device in which atouch panel capable multi-point sensing is put into practicalapplication.

Solution to Problem

To achieve the objective described above, the touch-panel input deviceaccording to the present invention has a touch panel, and an inputcontroller for sensing a two-point touch on the touch panel in either atwo-point touch input sensing mode for a right hand suitable for theplacement of right fingers or a two-point touch input sensing mode for aleft hand suitable for the placement of left fingers, the inputcontroller being capable of switching between the two input sensingmodes.

Advantageous Effects of the Invention

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide apractical touch-panel input device in which a touch panel capablemulti-point sensing is put into practical application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 A block diagram showing Example 1 of the touch-panel input deviceaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 A display screen view of a case of a menu selection operationbeing performed with the left hand from the driver seat of an automobilewith the steering wheel on the right side in the resistive filmtouch-panel display part of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 A display screen view of a case of a menu selection operationbeing performed with the right hand from the passenger seat of anautomobile with the steering wheel on the right side in the resistivefilm touch-panel display part of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 A display screen view of a case of a destination input operationbeing performed in the resistive film touch-panel display part of FIG.1.

FIG. 5 A screen view for describing the difference between a left-handoperation and a right-hand operation in a case in which the mapenlarging or shrinking operation is performed during travel in theresistive film touch-panel display part of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 A screen view showing the operation of enlarging the rectangularregion decided by the absolute positions of the two points to fill mostof the resistive film touch-panel display part from the state of FIG.5(B).

FIG. 7 A screen view showing the operation of shrinking the map to abroad area centered on a desired point with a predetermined shrinkageratio, in a case in which there is a record of the map being enlargedafter going through the route of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 A screen view of an instance when a map enlargement operation isperformed regardless of where the absolute positions of the two pointsare, from the state of FIG. 5(A).

FIG. 9 A screen view of an instance when a map shrinking operation isperformed regardless of where the absolute positions of the two pointsare, from the state of FIG. 5(A).

FIG. 10 A flowchart of the action of the controller in Example 1 of FIG.1.

FIG. 11 A flowchart showing the details of step S10 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 A flowchart showing the details of step S16 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 A flowchart showing the details of step S24 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 14 A block diagram showing Example 2 of the touch-panel inputdevice according to an embodiment of the present invention (Example 2).

FIG. 15 A screen view showing a subject image displayed on the resistivefilm touch-panel display part of Example 2.

FIG. 16 A flowchart of the action of the controller in Example 2.

FIG. 17 A screen view of when a map enlargement is performed regardlessof where the absolute positions of the two points are, from the citedstate of FIG. 5(A), in Example 3 of a touch-panel input device accordingto an embodiment of the present invention (Example 3).

FIG. 18 A screen view of when a map shrinking is performed regardless ofwhere the absolute positions of the two points are, from the state ofFIG. 5(A), in Example 3.

FIG. 19 A flowchart showing the details of the map touch process of stepS24 of FIG. 10 cited in Example 3.

FIG. 20 A block diagram showing Example 4 of the touch-panel inputdevice according to an embodiment of the present invention (Example 4).

FIG. 21 A screen view showing a subject image during enlargement zoomingdisplayed in a horizontal state on the resistive film touch-paneldisplay part of Example 4.

FIG. 22 A screen view showing a subject image during shrinking zoomingdisplayed in a horizontal state on the resistive film touch-paneldisplay part of Example 4.

FIG. 23 A screen view showing a subject image during zooming displayedin a vertical state on the resistive film touch-panel display part ofExample 4.

FIG. 24 A flowchart of the action of the controller in Example 4.

FIG. 25 A flowchart showing the details of step S204 of FIG. 24.

FIG. 26 A flowchart showing the details of step S230 of FIG. 25.

FIG. 27 A flowchart showing the details of step S234 of FIG. 25.

FIG. 28 A flowchart of the action of the controller in Example 5 of thetouch-panel input device according to an embodiment of the presentinvention (Example 5).

FIG. 29 A flowchart showing the details of step S314 of FIG. 28.

FIG. 30 A screen view showing a playback image displayed on theresistive film touch-panel display part of either Example 2 of FIG. 14or Example 4 of FIG. 20.

FIG. 31 A screen view showing another playback image displayed on theresistive film touch-panel display part of either Example 2 of FIG. 14or Example 4 of FIG. 20.

FIG. 32 A flowchart showing the details of step S174 of FIG. 16 or FIG.24 along with step S176.

FIG. 33 A flowchart showing another example of the details of step S314of the flowchart of FIG. 28 relating to Example 5.

FIG. 34 An external perspective view showing Example 6 of thetouch-panel input device according to an embodiment of the presentinvention (Example 6).

FIG. 35 A flowchart for describing the function of the controller in acase citing the configuration of FIG. 20 in Example 6.

FIG. 36 A flowchart showing the details of step S340 of FIG. 35.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS EXAMPLE 1

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing Example 1 of the touch-panel inputdevice according to an embodiment of the present invention. Example 1constitutes a navigation device (hereinbelow an automobile navigationdevice) 2 of a vehicle, having a controller 4 composed of a computer forcontrolling the entire device, the automobile navigation device 2 beingcontrolled according to the operation of an operation part 6 by adriver. The function of the controller 4 is executed by software storedin a storage part 8. The storage part 8 temporarily stores various dataneeded in the control of the automobile navigation device 2. Thecontroller 4 controls the display of a resistive film touch-paneldisplay part 12 via a display driver 10, and performs both a GUI displayneeded in the operation of the operation part 6 and a display of thecontrol results.

The resistive film touch-panel display part 12 is both a display partand a touch-panel input device, as well as being a GUI operation partfor performing input operations by direct touching of the display. Theresistive film touch-panel display part 12 is connected to thecontroller 4 by four output lines (in FIG. 1, a single line showing theinformation transmission direction is depicted for the sake ofsimplicity) for outputting top, bottom, left, and right touch positioninformation, and the controller 4 can sense two-point touch positionsand their movements by analyzing the outputs of these four lines. Thedetails of the input according to this two-point touch position sensingare described hereinafter.

Based on a GPS system and through satellites and neighborhoodbroadcasting stations, a GPS part 14 obtains information of latitude,longitude, and altitude, which is absolute position information of thevehicle in which the automobile navigation device 2 is installed, andsends this information to the controller 4. The controller 4 processesthe absolute position information from the GPS part 14 and causes theposition of the vehicle on a map provided by a map storage part 16 to bedisplayed on the resistive film touch-panel display part 12.

The automobile navigation device 2 comprises a wireless communicationpart 18 and a cable-connected I/O part 20, which are for wirelessexternal communication for functions such as updating map informationstored in the map storage part 16. The wireless communication part 18may use normal telephone lines, or it may be a designated close-rangewireless communication part. Other than procuring map information, thewireless communication part 18 and the I/O part 20 can also communicatewith an external source and procure this information when there is afunction version upgrade or maintenance data for the car navigationsystem or the GPS system. In addition to being performed by operationsfrom the operation part 6 or the resistive film touch-panel display part12, operation information input to the controller 4 can also beperformed by voice from a microphone 19. In addition to being displayedon the resistive film touch-panel display part 12, information output tothe driver or another user can be performed by voice through a speaker21.

FIGS. 2 through 9 are display screen views for describing the display inthe resistive film touch-panel display part (hereinbelow shortened to“display part”) 12 of FIG. 1 and the various functions associated withtwo-point touch sensing. In the automobile navigation device 2, it isnormal for the display part 12 to be placed in the central vicinity ofthe vehicle, but an example of a case of an automobile with the steeringwheel on the right side is used to describe the manner in which thedriver or a passenger seat occupant utilizes the touch panel in thedisplay part 12 to perform various GUI operations.

First, FIG. 2 shows a case of performing a GUI operation of touching amenu displayed on the display part 12 to make a menu selection. FIG. 2is a case in which the driver is performing the operation, and in thiscase, the hand performing the operation is a left hand 22. Using thethumb and any other desired finger (the middle finger, for example) intwo-point touching has the most degree of freedom in the variousoperations, but when the driver sitting in the driver seat has naturallyplaced the left hand 22 on the display part 12, the tip of the thumb isin a lower position than the tip of the other finger as shown in FIG.2(A). Consequently, a line joining the touch position 24 of the thumband the touch position 26 of any other desired finger (the middlefinger, for example, and the description hereinbelow uses the middlefinger as an example) will normally be slanted downward and to the right(when the touch position 24 is seen from the touch position 26 on thedisplay part 12).

When the controller 4 senses based on information from the display part12 that two points at a right downward slant are simultaneously beingtouched, the controller 4 issues a command to the display driver 10 todisplay a left hand menu layout such as the one in FIG. 2 on the displaypart 12. To be more specific, in the left hand menu layout, adestination menu 28, an audio menu 30, and an air conditioning menu 32,which are expected to be touched by fingers of the left hand 22 otherthan the thumb, are placed in the upper left of the display part 12, anda decide area 34 expected to be touched by the thumb is placed in thelower right of the display part 12. In the stage in which the controller4 issues a command for a left hand menu display, the absolute positionsof the touch position 24 of the thumb and the touch position 26 of themiddle finger may be anywhere, and the determined information is merelythat the line joining the two points of the simultaneous touching isrelatively slanted downward and to the right.

Next, the menu selection in such a left hand menu layout will bedescribed. When it is assessed that the middle finger has touched one ofthe menus (e.g., the destination menu 28) and the thumb hassimultaneously touched the decide area 34, for example, the absolutepositions of the touch position 24 of the thumb and the touch position26 of the middle finger are detected, and in response, the destinationmenu 28 and the decide area 34 where touches are sensed are displayed inbold frames as in FIG. 2(A). In this state, another menu can be selectedby displacing the touch position of the middle finger while keeping thethumb touched to the decide area 34, and in response, the bold framedisplay moves from the destination menu 28 to the audio menu 30 or theair conditioning menu 32. Such a movement of the menu selection is madepossible by the left hand 22 moving up and down in parallel, as shown bythe white arrow 36. The decide area 34 is set to be long so that thistouching state is maintained even if the thumb moves up and down inparallel as shown by the white arrow 38 due to such a parallel movementof the left hand 22.

The variation of menu selection is not limited to a case of the lefthand 22 moving up and down in parallel as described above, and anydesired two-point touches can also be performed according to the naturalmovement of the left hand 22. Examples of other movements of the handare explained hereinafter. It is also not always necessary to move thehand while preserving the two-point touching state as described above,and one finger may be completely removed from the display part 12, afterwhich the screen may be touched with the middle finger and thumb inorder to make a new selection. The two-point touches also need not becompletely simultaneous, and the decide area 34 may be touched with thethumb after first touching any of the menus with the middle finger.Conversely, after first touching the decide area 34 with the thumb, thismay be used as a fulcrum to touch any of the menus with the middlefinger. In a menu selection screen after the left hand menu layout hasbeen displayed as in FIG. 2, as long as two-point simultaneous touchstate of the decide area 34 and any of the menus 28, 30, 32 is notdetected, none of the menus 28, 30, 32 or the decide area 34 will changeto a bold frame display in reaction.

To confirm the menu selection, the thumb is slid toward the middlefinger as shown by the black arrow 40 while keeping the middle fingerand the thumb touched to the screen, in a state in which the destinationmenu 28 and the decide area 34 are in a bold frame display as in FIG.2(A), for example. The decide area 34 is dragged toward the destinationmenu 24 by this thumb movement, and the selection of the destinationmenu 28 is confirmed when the two menus are dragged into overlappingeach other, for example. When the left hand 22 is removed from thedisplay part 12, the display color changes in the destination menu 28 inwhich the selection has been confirmed as shown in FIG. 2(B), and aconfirmation of the menu selection is displayed.

FIG. 3 is a display screen view of a case of the display part 12 beingoperated from the passenger seat of an automobile with the steeringwheel on the right side, in which case the operating hand is the righthand 42. When the occupant sitting in the passenger seat naturallyplaces the right hand 42 on the display part 12, the tip of the thumb ofthe right hand 42 is positioned lower than the tip of the other fingeras shown in FIG. 3(A). Consequently, a line joining the touch position44 of the thumb and the touch position 46 of the middle finger willnormally be slanted downward and to the left (when the touch position 44is seen from the touch position 46 on the display part 12).

In this case, when the controller 4 senses based on information from thedisplay part 12 that two points at a left downward slant aresimultaneously being touched, the controller 4 issues a command to thedisplay driver 10 to display a right hand menu layout such as the one inFIG. 3 on the display part 12. To be more specific, in the right handmenu layout, a destination menu 48, an audio menu 50, and an airconditioning menu 52 are placed in the upper right of the display part12, and a decide area 54 expected to be touched by the thumb is placedin the lower left of the display part 12. The layout of when the righthand 42 is used to operate the display part 12 from the left in FIG. 3is bilaterally symmetrical with the case of the left hand 22 being usedto operate the display part 12 from the right as in FIG. 2. Theoperation is therefore the same in terms of sensation, and there is noconfusion. As with the case of a left hand layout decision, in the stagein which the controller 4 issues a command for a right hand menudisplay, the determined information is merely that the line joining thetwo points of the simultaneous touching is relatively slanted downwardand to the left.

Next, the menu selection in the right hand layout of FIG. 3 will bedescribed. This layout is essentially the same as the right hand layoutof FIG. 2, and a simple description is therefore given with focus on thedifferent parts. For example, when it is assessed that the middle fingeris touched to one of the menus (e.g., the audio menu 50) and the thumbis simultaneously touched to the decide area 54, the absolute positionsof the touch position 44 of the thumb and the touch position 46 of themiddle finger are detected in the same manner as FIG. 2, and inresponse, the audio menu 50 and the decide area 54 where touches aresensed are displayed in bold frame as in FIG. 3(A). Hereinbelow, FIG. 3is used to show an example of two-point touches by a hand movementdifferent from that of FIG. 2, but needless to say, two-point touches bynatural hand movements are possible that are not limited to FIG. 2 or 3.

In FIG. 3, the touch position 46 of the middle finger can be displacedby using the touch of the thumb to the decide area 54 as a fulcrumaround which to rotate the right hand 42 as shown by the white arrow 56,and another menu can be selected. The thumb need not be kept in place,and may be moved naturally within the decide area 54. In response tosuch a movement of the touch position 46 of the middle finger, the boldframe display moves from the audio menu 50 to the destination menu 48 orthe air conditioning menu 52.

Such a variation of menu selection need not be performed while thetwo-point touching state is preserved as described above, and one fingermay be completely removed from the display part 12, after which thescreen may be touched with the middle finger and thumb in order to makea new selection, similar to the case of FIG. 2(A). Also similar to thecase of FIG. 2(A), the two-point touching need not be completelysimultaneous. This is because even in a right hand layout as in FIG. 3,in a menu selection screen after this layout has been displayed, as longas a two-point simultaneous touch state is not detected in any of themenus 48, 50, 52 and the decide area 54, the menus 48, 50, 52 and thedecide area 54 do not change to a bold frame display in reaction.

The confirmation of the menu selection is similar to FIG. 2(A), and in astate in which the audio menu 50 and the decide area 54 have a boldframe display as in FIG. 3(A), for example, the thumb is slid toward themiddle finger as shown by the black arrow 58 while the middle finger andthumb are kept touched to the screen, and when the decide area 54 isdragged toward the audio menu 50, a selection of the audio menu 50 isconfirmed at the time point when the two overlap. When the right hand 42is removed from the display part 12, the display color of the audio menu50 in which the selection is confirmed changes as shown in FIG. 3(B),and a confirmation of the menu selection is displayed.

Even when a right downward slanted two-point touching state is sensed,in cases in which the vehicle is traveling, the controller 4 does notdisplay the left hand layout of FIG. 2, but instead informs the driverthat “menu-varying operation by driver is prohibited during travel”through a display on the display part 12 or an announcement on thespeaker 21. The purpose of this is to prevent accidents caused by thedriver operating while traveling. When the controller 4 has sensed aleft downward slanted two-point touching state, the right hand layout ofFIG. 3 is displayed both when the vehicle has stopped and when thevehicle is traveling, and when the vehicle is traveling, and varying themenu therefore falls to the occupant in the passenger seat when thevehicle is traveling. When the right hand layout is displayed, it is notimpossible for the drive to make left downward slanted two-point toucheswith the right hand (or with an unnatural orientation of the left hand),but the driver is thoroughly informed in advance in the user's manual soas to not engage in such dangerous behavior.

FIG. 4 shows a display screen view for inputting destination, displayedautomatically by the destination menu selection being decided in thesame manner as in FIG. 2(B). FIG. 4(A) is a left hand layout, and,similar to FIG. 2(A), is displayed by the sensing of a relative rightdownward slant in the line joining the two touched points. In FIG. 4,the relative positions of two points are sensed, which are the touchposition 60 of the thumb and the touch position 62 of a finger otherthan the thumb (the index finger is used as an example in FIG. 4).

In the left hand layout of a display screen for inputting destinationshown in FIG. 4(A), a consonant button group 64 expected to be touchedby fingers other than the thumb of the left hand 22 and containing theletters “K,” “S,” “T,” “N,” “H,” “M,” “Y,” “R,” and “W” (for the sake ofsimplicity, the numeral is appended only to “K” as a representation) isplaced in the top end vicinity of the screen of the display part 12, andthese letters respectively mean each of the Japanese syllabary columns“a ka sa to na ha ma ya ra wa,” except for “a.” A vowel button group 66expected to be touched by the thumb and containing the letters “a,” “i,”“u,” “e,” and “o” (for the sake of simplicity, the numeral is appendedonly to “a” as a representation) is placed in the right end vicinity ofthe screen of the display part 12, and these letters respectively meaneach of the Japanese syllabary rows “a i u e o”.

Next, kana character inputs in a left hand layout such as the above willbe described. When it is assessed that the index finger is touching oneof the consonant button group 64 (e.g., “T”) and the thumb issimultaneously touching one of the vowel button group 66 (e.g., “u”),for example, the absolute positions of the touch position 60 of thethumb and the touch position 62 of the index finger are detected, and inresponse, the consonant button “T” and the vowel button “u” wheretouches are sensed as displayed in bold frame as in FIG. 4(A). Thiscombination means what is written as “Tu” in roman letters, which is thekana “tsu”. Thus, it is possible to indicate any desired combinations ofconsonants and vowels by a two-point touch of any consonant button witha finger other than the thumb and a vowel button with the thumb. Kanaunder the column “a” of the syllabary can be indicated by a touch of theblank button 68 with a finger other than the thumb and a two-point touchof a vowel button with the thumb. Furthermore, the kana “n” can beindicated by a touch of the blank button 68 with a finger other than thethumb and a two-point touch of an “n” button 70 with the thumb.

Voiced consonants, p-sounds, syllabic nasals, glottal stops, contractedsounds, and other inputs are not possible with the inputs describedabove, but since a destination input is not a new input but isinformation for retrieving place names and the like originallyregistered on the map, such input portions are automatically revised tovoiced consonants, p-sounds, syllabic nasals, glottal stops, andcontracted sounds by being estimated by software from the sequence ofinputted character strings due to the strings increasing. When thenumber of vowel buttons is increased to include “G,” “P,” “Ky,” and thelike in the display part 12, it is also possible to input voicedconsonants, p-sounds, syllabic nasals, glottal stops, and contractedsounds directly.

With kana inputs as well, two-point touches need not be completelysimultaneous, and the index finger may first touch any button of theconsonant button group 64 or the blank button 68 after which the thumbmay touch any button of the vowel button group 66 or the “n” button 70,or these two actions may be reversed. To confirm the input of a kanaindicated by a two-point combination, with the “T” button of theconsonant button group 64 and the “u” button of the vowel button group66 being displayed in bold frame as in FIG. 4(A), for example, the thumbis slid toward the index finger as shown by the black arrow 72 while theindex finger and the thumb are kept touched to the screen. Due to thisthumb movement, the “u” button of the vowel button group 66 and thedecide area 34 of the consonant button group 64 are dragged toward thedestination menu 24, and when the two buttons are near enough to eachother by at least a predetermined amount, for example, the input of akana according to this consonant and vowel combination is confirmed.This new input-confirmed kana is displayed in large font after alreadyconfirmed characters in an input window 74, as shown by the “tsu.” Bydragging and affixing the vowel button to the consonant button asdescribed above, the operation of confirming the kana has a sensationequivalent to writing kana in roman letters and does not feel strange.This is fitting for inputting roman letters in Japanese, but is alsofitting for inputting Hangul characters, which have a similar characterstructure of consonant and vowel combinations. In the case of Hangulcharacters, the appending of a patchim is inputted by subsequentlyindicating a combination of consonant button and a patchim button placedin the row of the vowel button group as is the “n” button 70 or 80 inFIG. 4, after the essential configuration of the character has beeninputted.

On the display screen for inputting destination of FIG. 4, numerickeypad buttons 76 for inputting numerals are also displayed in thecentral vicinity of the screen of the display part 12. The placement ofsuch numeric keypad buttons 76 is made possible by placing the consonantbutton group 64 in the screen's top end vicinity of the display part 12,placing the vowel button group 66 in the screen's right end vicinity ofthe display part 12, and ensuring an empty space in the center of thescreen. Numeral input by the numeric keypad buttons 76 is normallyperformed by a one-point touch of touching any of the numeric keypadbuttons 76. In this case, to avoid mistakes with the first point touchof two-point touches of any desired position in deciding the left handlayout, a one-point touch of the numeric keypad buttons 76 is sensed,after which, upon elapse of a predetermined time duration (e.g., onesecond), it is ascertained that there is no subsequent second pointtouch and a numerical input is confirmed. Conversely, in the case of atwo-point touch, although there is no need for the touches to besimultaneous, the user is requested to make the second point touchfollowing within predetermined time duration after the first pointtouch. Thus, the distinction between a one-point touch and a two-pointtouch is made by setting the predetermined time duration.

FIG. 4(B) is a left hand layout for inputting destination, and isdisplayed by the sensing of a relatively left downward slant in the linejoining the two touched points together, similar to FIG. 3(A). In theright hand layout shown in FIG. 4(B), the consonant button group 64 andthe blank button 68, which are expected to be touched by a finger of theright hand 42 other than the thumb, are placed in the screen's top endvicinity of the display part 12, similar to FIG. 4(A). For the sake ofconvenience in the operation at this time, the positions of thesebuttons are shifted slightly to the right and laid out. However, theconsonant placement order itself is the same as in FIG. 4(A) in order toavoid confusion. When there is any leeway in the layout, the layout ofthe consonant button group 64 and the blank button 68 may be entirelycommon between the left hand layout of FIG. 4(A) and the right handlayout of FIG. 4(B).

In the right hand layout in FIG. 4(B), a vowel button group 78 and an“n” button 80 expected to be touched by the thumb of the right hand 42are placed in the screen's left end vicinity of the display part 12,unlike the left hand layout of FIG. 4(A). The longitudinal buttonarrangement itself, however, is the same as in FIG. 4(A) in order toavoid confusion. With a right hand layout, such a layout makes itpossible to input kana with a natural orientation of the right hand,similar to FIG. 3(A). A description is not given of the indication ofkana by a combination of a consonant button and a vowel button and theconfirmation of kana input by dragging the vowel button in the righthand layout of FIG. 4(B), because these are similar to the case of theleft hand layout of FIG. 4(A). An input window 82 is shifted toward theleft of the screen in FIG. 4(B) so as to not be under the shadow of thehand. The placement of numeric keypad buttons 76 in the right handlayout of FIG. 4(B) is common with that of the left hand layout of FIG.4(A).

As a result of inputting a destination according to FIG. 4, when thedesired destination is displayed on the input window 74 or 82, a mapincluding the position of the automobile is displayed on the displaypart 12 when the input window 74 or 82 is touched, and navigation isinitiated. Similar to FIG. 2, when a right downward slanted two-pointsimultaneous touch state is sensed but the vehicle is traveling, thecontroller 4 does not display the left hand layout of FIG. 4(A) butinstead informs the driver that “menu-varying operation by driver isprohibited during travel” through a display on the display part 12 or anannouncement on the speaker 21.

FIGS. 5 to 9 are screen views for describing an enlarging/shrinkingoperation of the map in a state in which a map 86 including theautomobile's position 84 is displayed on the display part 12 andnavigation is being performed. First, FIG. 5 is a screen view fordescribing the difference between a left-hand operation and a right-handoperation while traveling. In the case of an automobile with thesteering wheel on the right side as described above, the left-handoperation is performed by the driver and the right-hand operation isperformed by the occupant of the passenger seat. Due to this difference,the right-hand operation and the left-hand operation are configureddifferently in the present invention, danger is prevented so as to notimpose a load on the driver, and an operation that better reflects theintention can be performed by the occupant of the passenger seat.

In FIG. 5(A), it is sensed that there is a relative right downward slantin the line joining the two points of the touch position 88 of the thumband the touch position 90 of the index finger, and as a result, it isdiscerned that a left-hand operation is being used. In this case,regardless of where the absolute positions of the two points are, thefollowing process is performed using their relative positions asinformation, and the process is performed based only on natural touchesof the left hand 22 without requesting accurate touch positions from thedriver. In FIG. 5(B), it is sensed that there is a relative leftdownward slant in the line joining the two points of the touch position92 of the thumb and the touch position 94 of the index finger, and as aresult, it is discerned that a right-hand operation is being used. Inthis case, the absolute positions of the two points of the touchposition 92 of the thumb and the touch position 94 of the index fingerare sensed, a rectangular region 96 whose diagonal is the lineconnecting these two points is discerned to perform the followingprocess, and the amount of information is therefore greater. In the caseof a right-hand operation by the occupant for this discernment, anaccurate two-point touch is anticipated.

FIG. 6 is a screen view showing an operation for enlarging therectangular region 96 to cover most of the display part 12 in a case inwhich this region is discerned in the map 86 as in FIG. 5(B). To enlargethe rectangular region 96, the thumb and the index finger are slidrespectively away from each other from their respective touch positions92 and 94 as shown by the black arrows 98 and 100, as shown in FIG.6(A), after which the right hand 42 is removed from the display part 12.The controller 4 discerns this movement as an enlarging operation andenlarges the map portion in the rectangular region 96 of FIG. 6(A) tocover most of the display part 12 as in the map 102 of FIG. 6(B). Thus,in the right-hand operation during travel, the desired portion of thedisplayed map can be cut out and enlarged to fill most of the displaypart 12.

FIG. 7 is a screen view showing an operation for shrinking the map 102to a broad area centered on a desired point with a predeterminedshrinkage ratio, in a case in which there is a record of the map beingenlarged after going through the route of FIG. 6. In other words, thecase of a record of the operation theretofore being performed by theright hand 42 corresponds to this shrinking operation. In FIG. 7(A), acenter position 106 of the map after shrinking is decided by sensing atouch point 104 of the index finger of the right hand 42. Since thiscase is one of a one-point touch, upon elapse of a predetermined timeduration (e.g., one second) for distinguishing that the touch is thefirst point touch of a two-point touch, it is discerned that the touchis a one-point touch after which there will be no second point touch.When the right hand 42 is then removed from the display part 12 afterthe center position 106 has been decided, a shrunk map 108 is displayedso that the center position 106 comes to the center of the map as shownin FIG. 7(B). The shrinkage ratio at this time is such that the mapshrinks at a predetermined rate each time a one-point touch isperformed; therefore, when the desire is to further shrink the map, aone-point touch is repeated by the index finger. It is optional to varythe center point of enlarging during these operations.

FIGS. 6 and 7 were described as right-hand operations of cases in whichleft downward slanted two-point touches were sensed, but in cases inwhich the vehicle has stopped, as well as cases in which right downwardslanted two-point touches are sensed, a rectangular region such as thatof FIG. 5(B) is set. This is because an accurate operation may berequested of the driver without any danger in cases in which the vehicleis not being driven, and by stopping the vehicle, the driver can enlargethe desired area region in the map and can shrink the map centered on adesired single point.

FIG. 8 is a main screen view of an instance when a map enlargementoperation is performed in a case in which the only thing sensed is arelative right downward slant in the line joining the two points of thetouch position 88 of the thumb and the touch position 90 of the indexfinger, regardless of where the absolute positions of the two pointsare, as in FIG. 5(A). To enlarge the map in this state, the thumb andthe index finger are slid apart from their respective touch positions 88and 90 as shown by the white arrows 110 and 112, as shown in FIG. 8(A),after which the left hand 22 is removed from the display part 12. Thecontroller 4 discerns this movement as an enlarging operation anddisplays the map 114 enlarged at a predetermined magnification on thedisplay part 12, with the center of the map kept in place as shown inFIG. 8(B). Thus, with a left-hand operation during travel, only that theenlarging operation is being performed is sensed without an indicationof a position on the map, and the map is enlarged with the center keptin place. Since the enlargement ratio is also not indicated, the map isenlarged at a predetermined rate every time a single enlarging operationis sensed. Consequently, when there is a desire to enlarge the mapfurther, the operation of separating the two-point touch positions isrepeated.

FIG. 9 is a main screen view of an instance when a map shrinkingoperation, the opposite of FIG. 8, is performed in a case in which theonly thing sensed is a relative right downward slant in the line joiningthe two points of the touch position 88 of the thumb and the touchposition 90 of the index finger, regardless of where the absolutepositions of the two points are, as in FIG. 5(A). To shrink the map 114in this state, the thumb and the index finger are slid towards eachother from their respective touch positions 116 and 118 as shown by thewhite arrows 120 and 122, as shown in FIG. 9(A), after which the lefthand 22 is removed from the display part 12. The controller 4 discernsthis movement as a shrinking operation and displays the map 124 shrunkat a predetermined magnification on the display part 12, with the centerof the map kept in place as shown in FIG. 9(B). Thus, shrinking isperformed in the case of a shrinking operation with a left-handoperation during travel. Since the shrinkage ratio is also notindicated, the map is shrunk at a predetermined rate every time a singleshrinking operation is sensed. Consequently, when there is a desire toshrink the map further, the operation of bringing the two-point touchpositions closer is repeated.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the action of the controller 4 in Example 1 ofFIG. 1. The flow starts when the I/O part 20 has notified that theengine of the vehicle (or a “motor” in the case of an electricautomobile, but hereinbelow represented as “engine”) is on, and theinitial scale of the map to be displayed is set in step S2. This initialscale employed here may be a scale that was stored in advance from thelast time the engine was turned off, or a predetermined scale may beemployed every time the engine is turned on. Next, GPS informationshowing the automobile's position from the GPS part 14 is acquired instep S4, and in step S6, a map centered on the automobile's position isdisplayed on the display part 12 with the magnification that was set instep S2.

Next, in step S8, a check is made of whether or not the operation part 6has performed an operation of finding the menu display. When it issensed in step S8 that the menu display operation has been performed, amenu selection process of step S10 proceeds. This is a process ofexecuting the operation described in FIGS. 2 and 3; the details aredescribed hereinafter. When the menu selection process is complete, acheck is made in step S12 of whether or not the menu selection has beenconfirmed, and when it has, step S14 proceeds and a check is made ofwhether or not the destination input menu has been selected. In the casethat a destination input menu selection has been ascertained, thedestination input process of step S16 is executed, and based on theresult, the sequence transitions to the map display of step S18. Thedetails of the destination input process are described hereinafter.

When it is assessed in step S14 that the destination input menu has notbeen selected, step S20 proceeds, a process of another menu isperformed, such as the audio process or the air conditioning process,and the sequence transitions to the map display of step S18. In the casethat a menu selection confirmation is not ascertained in step S12, thesequence transitions immediately to the map display of step S18.

When the map is displayed in step S18, a check is made in step S22 as towhether or not a touch on the map has been sensed. When a menu displayoperation is not sensed in step S8, the map display of step S6 iscontinued, and the sequence transitions to the map touch sensing of stepS22. When a map touch is sensed in step S22, the map touch process ofstep S24 begins. The details are described hereinafter. When the maptouch process is complete, the sequence transitions to step S26. When amap touch is not sensed in step S22, the sequence transitions directlyto step S26. In step S26, a check is made as to whether or not theengine has turned off, and when the engine is sensed as being off, stepS4 is resumed. As long as the engine is not sensed as being off in stepS26, steps S2 to S26 are repeated. When the operations are not sensed,the map display is continued and navigation is performed while the GPSinformation acquired in step S4 is updated, and when the operations aresensed, the map display corresponds to the operations. When the engineis sensed as being off in step S26, the flow ends.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the details of the menu selection processin step S10 of FIG. 10, and when the flow starts, first a check is madein step S32 as to whether or not the vehicle is an automobile with thesteering wheel on the right side. When it is not an automobile with thesteering wheel on the right side, “right” and “left” in the followingprocess are inverted to “left” and “right” in step S34, a processequivalent to a replacement process is performed, and the sequencetransitions to step S36. When the vehicle is ascertained as being anautomobile with the steering wheel on the right side, the sequencetransitions directly to step S36. These left-right inversion processesare necessary when the automobile navigation device 2 is set up in avehicle, and information of whether the vehicle is an automobile withthe steering wheel on the right side or an automobile with the steeringwheel on the left side is acquired through information exchange with thevehicle by either the wireless communication part 18 or the I/O part 20.The assessment of whether or not a left-right inversion replacement willbe performed yields the same result after the automobile navigationdevice 2 has once been set up in the vehicle, but in the case that theautomobile navigation device 2 is a portable device that can be takenout and can then be carried in both an automobile with the steeringwheel on the right side and an automobile with the steering wheel on theleft side, the significance is that accidents caused by confusing theprocesses are automatically avoided.

Steps S36 and onward show the process for a case of an automobile withthe steering wheel on the right side when the left-right inversionreplacement in step S34 is not performed. First, in step S36, a righthand layout display is performed and a predetermined time duration countis initiated. A check is then performed in step S38 as to whether or notthe predetermined time duration has elapsed after the right hand layoutdisplay, and when the predetermined time duration has not elapsed, acheck is made in step S40 as to whether or not a two-point simultaneoustouch state is sensed. When a two-point simultaneous touch state issensed, the sequence transitions to step S42 and a check is made as towhether or not the sensed two points have a right downward slant. Whenthe two points are sensed as having a right downward slant, it is deemedthat a left hand operation has been enacted by the driver, step S44proceeds, and a check is made as to whether or not the vehicle istraveling. When it is ascertained that the vehicle is not traveling,step S46 proceeds, a left hand layout display is performed instead of aright hand layout display, left hand operation by the driver is enabled,and the sequence transitions to step S48.

When it is sensed in step S44 that the vehicle is traveling, step S50proceeds, the driver is informed that the menu selection operation isprohibited during travel, a right hand layout display is performed instep S52, and the sequence transitions to step S48. Step S52, used forcases in which a left hand layout display is enacted, is for performinga right hand layout display instead when step S52 is reached, and whenthe right hand layout has been displayed from the beginning, nothing isperformed in step S52 and the right hand layout display is continued. Inthe case that the two points sensed in step S42 are not sensed hashaving a right downward slant, it is equivalent to two points having aleft downward slant being sensed, which means that it is a right handoperation by the passenger seat occupant; therefore, the right handlayout display is performed in step S54 and the sequence transitions tostep S48. Step S54, used for cases in which a left hand layout displayis not enacted, is for performing a right hand layout display insteadwhen step S54 is reached, and when the right hand layout has beendisplayed from the beginning, nothing is performed in step S54, theright hand layout display is continued, and the sequence transitions tostep S48.

In step S48, as in FIG. 2(A) or 3(A), a check is made as to whether ornot touches both on one of the menus and on the decide area 34 or 54have been sensed, and when they have been sensed, the two points areupdated and stored and an area corresponding to the two points isdisplayed in bold frame in step S56 on the basis of the sensinginformation. When there is no variation in the touch positions orvariation in the storage of the detected two points, the sameinformation is overwritten and updated, and the area displayed in boldframe also does not change. Step S58 then proceeds, the predeterminedtime duration initiated in step S36 is rest, the time duration count isstarted anew, and the sequence transitions to step S60.

In step S60, a check is made as to whether or not the decide area 34 or54 has been dragged near a menu as shown by the black arrow 40 of FIG.2(A) or the black arrow 58 of FIG. 3(A). When this near dragging issensed, step S62 proceeds, the menu selection is confirmed, and the flowis ended. When elapse of the predetermined time duration is sensed instep S38, the flow is ended immediately. When a near dragging is notsensed in step S60, step S38 is resumed, steps S38 through S60 arerepeated until the near dragging is sensed in step S60 or elapse of thepredetermined time duration is sensed in step S38, and the device isadapted to conditions changes between traveling and stopping and tovariations in touching of the menu. When a two-point simultaneous touchstate is not sensed in step S40 and when two-point touching of one ofthe menus and the decide area 34 or 54 is not sensed in step S54, stepS38 is resumed.

A confirmation of the menu selection with a sensing of near dragging instep S60 in the flow of FIG. 11 means a safety measure of notimmediately confirming a menu selection when a two-point touch ismistakenly made and implementing one more step of an ascertainingoperation. However, in cases in which keeping the operation simple isprioritized over such a safety measure, steps S58 and S60 may beomitted, and the configuration may be designed so that after a two-pointtouch of one of the menus and the decide area 34 or 54 is sensed in stepS48 and the sequence has moved from step S54 to step S56, step S62proceeds immediately and the menu selection is confirmed. In the case ofsuch a configuration, in FIG. 2(A) or 3(A), touching of both one of themenus and the decide area 34 or 54 is sensed, and the menu selection isconfirmed at the time point when the touched region changes to a boldframe.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the details of the destination inputprocess in step S16 of FIG. 10, and when the flow starts, the left-rightinversion process is first performed in step S72. This is the same assteps S32 and S34 of FIG. 11. When the left-right inversion process ofstep S72 ends, the flow proceeds to steps S74 and onward. Similar toFIG. 11, in steps S74 onward, the process shown is for a case of anautomobile with the steering wheel on the right side when the left-rightinversion replacement is not performed in the left-right inversionprocess.

First, in step S74, a right hand layout display is performed and a countof the predetermined time duration is initiated. In step S76, after theright hand layout display, a check is performed as to whether or not thepredetermined time duration has elapsed, and when the predetermined timeduration has not elapsed, a check is made in step S78 as to whether ornot a one-point touch is sensed. When a one-point touch is sensed, thesequence transitions to step S80, and a check is made as to whether ornot a predetermined distinction time duration has elapsed. Thisdistinction time duration, which is premised on the two-point touch notbeing performed exactly simultaneously, is for distinguishing whetherthe one-point touch sensed in step S78 is the first point touch of anintended two-point touch or is intended as a one-point touch. In thecase that the distinction time duration is not sensed to have elapsed instep S80, step S82 proceeds, and a check is made as to whether or not atwo-point simultaneous touch state has been sensed. When this sensing isnot possible, step S80 resumed, and steps S80 and S82 are repeatedhereinbelow as long as the distinction time duration does not elapse anda two-point simultaneous touch state is not sensed.

When a two-point simultaneous touch state is sensed in step S82, theleft-right layout switching process of step S84 is begun. This processis the same as the processes of step S42 to S46 and steps S50 to S54 ofFIG. 11, and is for switching between a right hand layout and a lefthand layout and prohibiting the left hand layout during travel. When theleft-right layout switching process of step S84 ends, the sequencetransitions to step S86.

In step S86, as in FIG. 4, a check is made as to whether or not touchesare sensed on either the consonant button group 64 or the blank button68 and either the vowel button group 66 (or 78) or the “n” button 70 (or80), and when they are sensed, the two points are updated and stored andthe area corresponding to the two points is displayed in bold frame instep S88 on the basis of the sensing information, and the sequencetransitions to step S90. Similar to the flow of FIG. 11, when there isno variation in the touch positions or variation in the storage of thedetected two points, the same information is overwritten and updated,and the area displayed in bold frame also does not change.

In step S90, a check is made as to whether or not a vowel button (or the“N” button) has been dragged near a consonant button (or the blankbutton) as shown by the black arrow 72 of FIG. 4(A) or the black arrowof FIG. 4(B). When this near dragging is sensed, step S92 proceeds, akana character input of a single character is confirmed and stored, andthe sequence transitions to step S94. When elapse of the distinctiontime duration is sensed in step S80, the touch is deemed to be aone-point touch, the sequence transitions to step S96, and a check ismade as to whether or the touch is on one of the numeric keypad buttons76 of FIG. 4. When it is on a numeric keypad button, step S98 proceeds,a numeric input is confirmed, and the sequence transitions to step S94.Thus, for numeric input, a numeric input of a single character isconfirmed by only a one-point touch and the elapse of the distinctiontime duration.

The predetermined time duration count is reset in step S94, the count isstarted anew, and the sequence transitions to step S100. Thesignificance of the predetermined time duration reset start here is thatit is pending the next character input operation; therefore, it is alsopossible to set a suitable time duration pending character input whichis different from the predetermined time duration started in step S74.In the case that the touch cannot be sensed in step S96 as being on oneof the numeric keypad buttons 76, it is deemed to be a meaninglessone-point touch, no input is confirmed, and the sequence transitionsimmediately to step S100.

In step S100, a check is made as to whether or not the destination canbe estimated from the stored kana character string, including thecharacter newly confirmed and stored in step S92. When there are fewcharacters and the destination cannot be estimated, step S76 is resumedin order to enable more characters to be inputted. Step S76 is resumedeither when a one-point touch is not sensed in step S78, when touches onboth one button of the consonant button group or the like and one buttonof the vowel button group or the like are not sensed in step 86, or whena vowel button drag could not be sensed within the predetermined timeduration in step S90. Hereinbelow, as long as it is not assessed in stepS100 that the destination cannot be estimated or elapse of thepredetermined time duration is not sensed in step S76, steps S76 to S100are repeated, new character input is enabled, and the device is adaptedto changes in conditions between traveling and stopping and tovariations between a right hand/left hand layout.

When it is assessed in step S100 that the destination can be estimated,S102 proceeds, the destination is estimated based on the inputtedcharacter string, and the flow is ended. The flow is ended immediatelywhen elapse of the predetermined time duration is sensed in step S76. Aconfirmation of the kana input with a sensing of near dragging in stepS90 in the flow of FIG. 12 means a safety measure of not immediatelyconfirming a kana input when a two-point touch is mistakenly made andimplementing one more step of an ascertaining operation, similar to thecase of FIG. 11. However, in cases in which keeping the operation simpleis prioritized over such a safety measure, step S90 may be omitted, asin FIG. 11, and the configuration may be designed so that when atwo-point touch of one button of the consonant button group or the likeand one button of the vowel button group or the like is sensed in stepS86, step S92 proceeds immediately and the kana input is confirmed. Inthe case of such a configuration, in FIG. 4, a two-point touch of bothone button of the consonant button group or the like and one button ofthe vowel button group or the like is sensed, and the menu selection isconfirmed at the time point when the touched regions change to a boldframe.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the details of the map touch process instep S24 of FIG. 10, and when the flow starts, the left-right inversionprocess is first performed in step S112. This is similar to step S72 ofFIG. 12, and is the same as steps S32 and S34 of FIG. 11. When theleft-right inversion process of step S112 ends, the flow proceeds tosteps S114 onward. Similar to FIGS. 11 and 12, in steps S114 onward, theprocess shown is for a case of an automobile with the steering wheel onthe right side when the left-right inversion replacement is notperformed in the left-right inversion process.

First, in step S114, a check is made as to whether or not a two-pointsimultaneous touch state is sensed within a predetermined time durationfollowing the sensing of a map touch in step S22 of FIG. 10. When atwo-point simultaneous touch state is sensed, the sequence transitionsto step S116, and a check is made as to whether or not the sensed twopoints have a right downward slant. When the two points are sensed ashaving a right downward slant, it is deemed that a left hand operationhas been enacted by the driver, step S118 proceeds, and a check is madeas to whether or not the vehicle is traveling. When it is sensed thatthe vehicle is traveling, the sequence transitions to step S 120.

Steps S120 to S126 are equivalent to the operations of FIGS. 8 and 9.First, in step S120, and a check is made as to whether or not the twopoints are dragged relatively near to each other within a predeterminedtime duration following the sensing of the two-point simultaneous touchstate in step S 114. When this near dragging is detected, step S122proceeds, the map is shrunk at a predetermined ratio with the center ofthe displayed map kept in place, and the sequence transitions to stepS124. This corresponds to the operation of FIG. 9. When a near draggingcannot be detected within the predetermined time duration in step S120,the sequence transitions directly to step S124.

In step S124, a check is made as to whether the two points have beendragged away from each other within a predetermined time durationfollowing the sensing of the two-point simultaneous touch state in stepS114. When this separating dragging is sensed, step S126 proceeds, themap is enlarged at a predetermined ratio with the center of thedisplayed map kept in place, and the flow is ended. This corresponds tothe operation of FIG. 8. When separating dragging within thepredetermined time duration cannot be sensed in step S124, the flow isended immediately. In this case, there is no change in the shrinking ofthe map. In FIG. 13, the positions of steps S120 and S122 may bealternated with the positions of steps S124 and S126.

When two points having a right downward slant are not sensed in stepS116, it means that the detected two points have a left downward slant;therefore, the sequence transitions to step S128, and the region wherethe absolute positions of the sensed two points are decided is stored.This corresponds to the state of the operation in FIG. 5(B). Next, acheck is made in step S130 as to whether or not a predetermined timeduration has elapsed, and in the case that elapse is not sensed, stepS132 proceeds and a check is made as to whether or not the two sensedpoints have been dragged away from each other. When this separatingdragging is not sensed, step S130 is resumed, and steps S130 and S132are repeated, pending a two-point separating dragging within thepredetermined time duration. When two-point separating dragging issensed in step S132, step S134 proceeds, the map in the region decidedand stored in step S128 is enlarged to fill most of the display part 12,and the flow is ended. This corresponds to the state of the operation ofFIG. 6. When a predetermined time duration elapse is sensed in stepS130, the flow is ended immediately. In this case, the map is notenlarged.

In step S114, when a two-point simultaneous touch state is not sensedwithin a predetermined time duration following the sensing of a maptouch in step S22 of FIG. 10, it means that a one-point touch has beensensed in step S22 of FIG. 10, and the sequence therefore moves to stepS136. In step S136, a check is made as to whether or not there is arecord of the map being enlarged within the region decided by thetwo-point touch positions immediately before the map touch is sensed instep S22 of FIG. 10. When there is such a record, step S138 proceeds,the map is shrunk at a predetermined ratio centered on the touchposition sensed in step S22 of FIG. 10, and the flow is ended. Thiscorresponds to the operation of FIG. 7. In the case that an enlargementrecord is not sensed in step S136, the flow is ended immediately. Inthis case, the map is not enlarged.

The various features shown in Example 1 above are not limited to thesespecific implementations, and can be put into practical application invarious implementations as long as the disclosed advantages can beachieved. In Example 1 above, for example, switching of the right handlayout and the left hand layout is associated with sensing whether ornot the vehicle is traveling. This allows the driver to perform certainoperations of comparatively low danger even while the vehicle istraveling and enables the passenger seat occupant to perform complicatedoperations and operations that must be accurate even while the vehicleis traveling, which is more useful than cases of limiting operationsaltogether during travel, in that simple operations are enabled. InExample 1, whether the operation is by the driver or by the occupant isassessed by sensing whether the two points have a right downward slantor a left downward slant, and this configuration is useful in that itdoes not require other means for distinguishing between the driver andthe occupant. However, in the case that it is considered important toabsolutely prevent accidents caused by the driver operating the righthand layout with an unnatural orientation, infrared sensing or othermeans for distinguishing between the driver and the occupant may beseparately provided, whereby the right hand layout and left hand layoutmay be switched. In the case that the priority is to simplify theconfiguration and prevent accidents caused by the car navigationoperation, the configuration may be designed so that complicatedoperations during travel are prohibited regardless of whether the layoutis for the right hand or the left hand. In any of the above cases,switching between the right hand layout and the left hand layout tomatch the structure of the hand is useful in terms of making two-pointoperations with the hand easier.

Example 1 above shows implementation in car navigation, but a number ofthe various disclosed features are not limited to implementation in carnavigation and can be implemented in various instruments as long as thedisclosed advantages can be achieved. For example, the features can beput into a wide range of practical application in touch-panel displayparts of digital still cameras and digital movie cameras, andtouch-panel display parts of portable phones and other mobileinstruments. Furthermore, a number of various features disclosed above,such as switching between a two-point touch operation with the righthand and a two-point touch operation with the left hand, can be put intopractical application even in touch panels that do not have a displayfunction.

EXAMPLE 2

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing Example 2 of the touch-panel inputdevice according to an embodiment of the present invention. Example 2constitutes a digital camera 202, having a controller 204 composed of acomputer for controlling the entire device, the digital camera 202 beingcontrolled according to the operation of an operation part 206 by adigital camera operator. The function of the controller 204 is executedby software stored in a storage part 208. The storage part 208temporarily stores various data needed in the control of the digitalcamera 202. The controller 204 controls the display of a resistive filmtouch-panel display part 212 via a display driver 210, and performs botha GUI display needed in the operation of the operation part 206 and adisplay of the control results.

A resistive film touch-panel display part 212 is both a display part anda touch-panel input device, as well as being a GUI operation part forperforming input operations by direct touching of the display. Theconfiguration of the resistive film touch-panel display part 212 issimilar to that of Example 1 of FIG. 1, and the controller 204 can sensetwo-point touch positions and their movements by analyzing the output offour lines of the resistive film touch-panel display part 212.

In Example 2, portions that can be comprehended by correspondinglyapplying the descriptions of Example 1 are given reference numbers of200 added to the common numbers in the tens and ones columns and are notdescribed as a general rule, and configurations unique to the digitalcamera are described hereinbelow. First, in a shooting mode, the digitalcamera 202 converts an optical image captured by an optical system 252capable of focal point adjustment into an electronic image by an imagingpart 254, performs an image process including compression by an imageprocessing part 256 of the controller 204, and stores the result in animage storage part 258. The image storage part 258 is configured as animage memory built into the digital camera 202 or a memory card that canbe detached from the digital camera 202.

In the above-mentioned shooting mode, the image taken by the imagingpart 254 is displayed on the resistive film touch-panel display part 212by the display driver 210. In other words, in such a shooting mode, theresistive film touch-panel display part 212 serves the function of afinder screen for displaying a subject image in order to establish thecomposition of the imaging. At this time, by using the thumb, forexample, to touch a desired portion of the subject image displayed onthe resistive film touch-panel display part 212, a touch position isstored, and autofocus is performed by a focus mechanism 260 on thesubject portion corresponding to the stored position. Focal pointadjustment assessment of the autofocus is performed by the controller204 on the basis of information of the image processing part 256.Exposure control is performed by an exposure controller 262 controllingthe aperture of the optical system 252 and the exposure time and gain ofthe imaging part 254, using the subject portion corresponding to thestored touch position as a standard. Assessment of exposure control isalso performed by the controller 204 on the basis of information of theimage processing part 256.

Once the thumb is removed from the resistive film touch-panel displaypart 212, storage of the touch position is canceled and the positiontouched next is newly stored. By storing the initially touched positionas long as touching is continued in this manner, it is possible toprevent instances of the touch position being unintentionally changedfrom the desired position due to the finger being misaligned on theresistive film touch-panel display part 212 when the touch is continued.The shutter is released when any desired position of the resistive filmtouch-panel display part 212 is touched with the index finger, forexample, while the first touch is continued, and shooting is complete.

The image stored in the image storage part 258 by the shooting mode canbe played back and displayed on the resistive film touch-panel displaypart 212 by setting a playback mode. Enlarging and shrinking arepossible in such a playback mode, and the operations thereof can havethe operations described in Example 1 applied correspondingly.

Making a slight supplement to the configuration of FIG. 14 from whichdescriptions are omitted above, the information of a GPS part 214 isstored as shooting location information together with the image in theimage storage part 258. A speaker 221 is utilized in operation guidanceof the digital camera 202. Furthermore, an I/O part 220 and a wirelesscommunication part 218 can be utilized when the image stored in theimage storage part 258 is transmitted outside of the digital camera 202.

FIG. 15 is a screen view showing a subject image displayed on theresistive film touch-panel display part 212 in shooting mode of thedigital camera 202 shown in Example 2. FIG. 15(A) shows a state in whicha desired position of the resistive film touch-panel display part 212 istouched with the thumb of the right hand 264, and a touch positiondisplay 266 is performed in response to this touch. This touch positiondisplay 266 shows the touched position and also shows that the touchposition has been stored. The touch position display 266 does not moveeven when the position of the thumb is misaligned in this one-pointtouch state by the thumb. When the thumb is removed from the resistivefilm touch-panel display part 212, touch position storage is canceledand the touch position display 266 disappears, and the storage positioncan therefore be set with a new touch.

In establishing the composition before shooting, the subject imagedisplayed on the resistive film touch-panel display part 212 moves whenthe digital camera 202 shakes. At this time, when the image and thestored touch position both move, the standard is lost and it becomesdifficult to indicate the desired position of the image, but due to theinitial touch position being stored and kept in place as describedabove, even when the image moves thereafter, the touch position and theinitial desired position of the image can be easily restored by movingthe digital camera 202.

FIG. 15(B) shows a state in which any desired position 268 of theresistive film touch-panel display part 212 is touched while the touchof the thumb of the right hand 264 is continued. The controller 204assesses that a shutter release operation has been performed by therealization of such a two-point touch state, processes the imageinformation of the imaging part 254 in this state with the imageprocessing part 256, and stores the result in the image storage part258.

In Example 2, since the shutter release button position is any desiredposition of the resistive film touch-panel display part 212, more can bedevoted to establishing the composition and the operation is simplified.However, the configuration for releasing the shutter by the second touchis not limited to such, and the configuration may be designed so thatthe shutter button is displayed at an easily operated position as is theposition 268 of FIG. 15(B), for example. Such a shutter button positiondisplay is performed simultaneous with the storing of the initial touchposition display 266. According to such a configuration, the shuttercannot be released by a second touch at any desired position, but on theother hand, it is possible to prevent the shutter from being releasedmistakenly by a position other than that of the displayed shutter buttonbeing touched unintentionally. Example 2 may be configured so that sucha shutter release button display mode can be selected by custom settingsof the user of the digital camera 202.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of the action of the controller 204 in Example 2of FIG. 14. The flow starts when a power source on operation of thedigital camera 202 is performed, a startup process of the digital camerais performed in step S142, shooting mode is set as the default state instep S 144, and the sequence transitions to step S 146. A check is madein step S146 as to whether or not a manual operation of the playbackmode setting has been performed, and when it has not, step S148proceeds.

In step S148, a check is made as to whether or not a one-point touch issensed. When a one-point touch state is sensed, the sequence transitionsto step S150, and the position where the touch is sensed is stored. Whena one-point touch is not sensed in step S148, step S146 proceeds, andsteps S146 and S148 are repeated hereinbelow pending the sensing of aone-point touch as long as the playback mode setting operation is notperformed. When the sensed position is stored in step S150, step S152proceeds and the stored position is displayed. This display correspondsto the touch position display 266 of FIG. 15(A).

Furthermore, in step S154, the controller 204 issues a command to thefocus mechanism 260 to drive the optical system 252 on the basis ofinformation of the image processing part 256 pertaining to the subjectportion imaged at the stored position, and focus is adjusted so as tomaximize the contrast of this portion. As a result, the image focuses onthe subject of the portion of the touch position display 266 of FIG.15(A). After the focus command, in step S156, the controller 204 issuesa command to the exposure controller 262 to control the aperture of theoptical system 252 and the exposure time duration of the imaging part254 on the basis of information of the image processing part 256pertaining to the subject portion imaged at the stored position. As aresult, exposure control is performed to a state in which the subject ofthe portion of the touch position display 266 of FIG. 15(A) has theproper exposure.

Next, in step S158, a check is made as to whether or not a predeterminedtime duration has elapsed following the sensing of the one-point touchin step S148. This predetermined time duration is about two seconds, forexample, and this time duration is set as a time duration for pending ashutter release by the sensing of a second point touch after the subjectportion of interest is decided by the first point touch. As is explainedhereinafter, storing of the first point touch is canceled in the casethat a second point touch is not sensed within this predetermined timeduration.

When a predetermined time duration elapse is not sensed in step S158,step S160 proceeds and a check is made as to whether or not theone-point touch has ceased. In the case that a one-point touch cease isnot sensed, step S162 proceeds, and a check is made as to whether or nota two-point simultaneous touch state has arisen as a result of a secondpoint being touched while the first point touch is continued. When atwo-point simultaneous touch state is sensed, step S164 proceeds, theshutter is released, and the sequence transitions to the shootingprocess of step S166. In the case that a two-point simultaneous touchstate is not sensed in step S162, step S158 is resumed, and steps S158and S162 are repeated hereinbelow pending a second point touch as longas the predetermined time duration does not elapse and the first pointtouch does not cease.

The imaging process of step S166 is a process for performing imagecompression by the image processing part 256 and storing the compressedimage in the image storage part 258. In the imaging process, the imagebeing stored in tandem is displayed as a still image on the resistivefilm touch-panel display part 212 for a predetermined time duration.When the imaging process of step S166 ends, step S168 proceeds, and acheck is made as to whether or not a power source off operation of thedigital camera 202 has been performed. When the power source offoperation has been sensed, the flow is ended.

When a predetermined time duration elapse has been sensed in step S158,or when a one-point touch cease has been sensed in step S160, thesequence transitions to step S170, storing of the one-point touch iscanceled, the touch position display 266 such as the one shown in FIG.15(A) is canceled in step S172, and the sequence transitions to stepS168. The decision of a new first point touch position can be begun bythe functions of these steps S170 and S172.

When the playback mode setting operation is sensed in step S146, thesequence transitions to step S174 and a playback mode process isperformed. The playback mode process enables full-screen playback byimage feeding in a predetermined order beginning from the most recentimage or the like, image selection by thumbnail images, slideshowdisplay, and other actions. In the playback mode process, the sequenceperiodically moves to step S176 to check if there has been a shootingmode setting operation, and when there has not been an operation, stepS174 is resumed and playback mode is continued. When the shooting modesetting operation is detected in step S176, the shooting mode is set instep S178 and step S168 proceeds.

As previously explained, the flow ends when the power source offoperation is sensed in step S168, but in the case that there is nosensing of the power source off operation, step S146 is resumed. StepsS146 to S168 are repeated hereinbelow as long as the power source offoperation is not sensed in step S168, and essentially, the device isadapted to the various operations of the shooting mode, as well as tothe operation of transitioning to a suitable playback mode and theoperation of returning to the shooting mode.

As is clear from the flow of FIG. 16 described above, in Example 2, thesensed touch is distinguished as being either the first point or secondpoint touch, and the responding function changes between the respectivetouches. As a specific example, a case is shown in which a functionindicating the image position responds due to the first point touch, anda shutter release function responds due to the second point touch.However, this feature of the present invention is not limited todifferentiating the uses of the image position indication function andthe shutter release function, and sensing of first point touches andsecond point touches can be allocated among various different functions.

In the flow of FIG. 16, when the digital camera 202 is shook after thefirst point touch position has been stored, the image displayed on theportion of the stored touch position on the screen moves as well.Consequently, the subject portion whose focus is to be adjusted andwhose exposure is to be adjusted also changes. Consequently, focusadjustment and exposure adjustment can be performed on the subjectportion by shaking the digital camera 202 to match the desired subjectup with the touch position display 266 of FIG. 15(A). In Example 2, afocus lock and an exposure adjustment lock mode are also possible, andwhen such lock modes are selected, image data of the correspondingsubject of the imaging part 254 at the time point of touch positionstorage is also stored along with the storage of the touch position andthe display of the touch position display 266, and focus adjustment andexposure adjustment are performed based on the stored image data.Consequently, in such lock modes, the state of the focus adjustment andexposure adjustment can be maintained on the subject portion in thetouch position at the time of the first point touch even when thedigital camera 202 is shook after the first point touch.

Using FIG. 16 to describe a case of implementing the above-mentionedlock modes, a step of checking for a lock mode setting is insertedbetween steps S152 and S154, and when a lock mode setting is sensed, thesequence transitions to step S154 through a step of storing image dataof the corresponding portion at the time point of the touch positionsensing. Consequently, in this case, steps S154 and S156 are performednot based on the subject portion data corresponding to the stored touchposition acquired from the imaging part 254 in real time, but based onthe subject portion data stored in the above-described manner When stepS170 proceeds in a lock mode, the storing of the subject image data isalso canceled after step S172 and the sequence transitions to step S168.

EXAMPLE 3

Next, Example 3 of the touch-panel input device according to anembodiment of the present invention will be described. Example 3 relatesto an automobile navigation device of a vehicle, and most of theconfiguration thereof is common with Example 1. Consequently,essentially FIGS. 1 through 13 also apply, the same numerals also applyto the same portions, and only different aspects are described. Example3, similar to Example 1, is configured so that when a driver operateswhile driving, the only thing sensed is a relative right downward slantin the line joining the two touched points regardless of where theabsolute positions of the two points are, and a map enlargementoperation can be performed by a simple undangerous touch positionmovement. However, in Example 1, enlarging or shrinking was decided bywhether the point-to-point distance widened or narrowed as in FIGS. 8and 9, whereas Example 3 is configured so that enlarging and shrinkingare performed by another operation method. Other points of Example 3 arecommon with Example 1 and are therefore not described.

FIG. 17 is a screen view of when a map enlargement is performed by aundangerous operation by the driver while driving regardless of wherethe absolute positions of the two points are, from a left-hand operationsensed state such as that of FIG. 5(A), in Example 3 described above.The description in FIG. 17 assumes that a two-point touch is performedwith the thumb and middle finger in order to widen the gap between thetouch positions. Needless to say, the problem of sensing is the touchpositions, and when natural touches are possible, any fingers may beused for the operation. FIG. 17(A) shows a state in which the touchpositions 304 and 306 are touched respectively by the thumb and middlefinger of the left hand 302, from which the positions are slid in aparallel movement while the gap between the fingers is essentiallyunchanged as shown by the white arrows 308 and 310, and the left hand302 is then removed from the display part 12. At this time, thecontroller 4 assesses whether or not the gap 312 between the two touchedpoints is larger than a standard gap 314.

In the case of FIG. 17(A), since the gap 312 between the two touchedpoints is larger than the standard gap 314, an enlargement operation isdiscerned given this assessment and the parallel movement sliding of thewhite arrows 308 and 310, and a map 114 enlarged from FIG. 17(A) isdisplayed on the display part 12 with the center of the map kept inplace as shown in FIG. 17(B). Thus, in the case that a left-handoperation is performed during travel in Example 3 as well, the onlything sensed is that an enlargement operation has been performed withoutany indication of the map position, and enlargement is performed withthe center of the map kept in place. The controller 4 determines thesliding amount and sliding speed for the operation of moving further inparallel after touching, and removing the left hand 302 from the displaypart 12, i.e., for the sliding trajectory shown by the white arrows 308and 310, and decides the enlargement ratio on the basis of the productof these two parameters. Thus, the operator can adjust the enlargementratio by greatly changing the sliding amount and speed. FIG. 17(B)displays an enlarged map 114 that has been enlarged according to anenlargement ratio decided in this manner. When the enlargement ratio issmaller than desired, a wide two-point touch and parallel sliding suchas are shown in FIG. 17 are repeated. In cases in which the map has beenenlarged by too much, the map can be shrunk by the operation describedhereinbelow.

FIG. 18 a screen view of when a map shrinking is performed by aundangerous operation by the driver while driving regardless of wherethe absolute positions of the two points are, from a left-hand operationsensed state such as that of FIG. 5(A), in Example 3. The description inFIG. 18 assumes that a two-point touch is performed with the thumb andindex finger with a narrowed gap. FIG. 18(A) shows a state in which thetouch positions 316 and 318 are touched respectively by the thumb andindex finger of the left hand 302, from which the positions are slid ina parallel movement while the gap between the fingers is essentiallyunchanged as shown by the white arrows 320 and 322, and the left hand302 is then removed from the display part 12. At this time, similar toFIG. 17, the controller 4 assesses whether or not the gap 324 betweenthe two touched points is larger than a standard gap 314 similar to theone in FIG. 17.

In the case of FIG. 18(A), since the gap 324 between the two touchedpoints is smaller than the standard gap 314, a shrinking operation isdiscerned given this assessment and the parallel movement sliding of thewhite arrows 320 and 322, and a map 124 shrunk from FIG. 18(A) isdisplayed on the display part 12 with the center of the map kept inplace as shown in FIG. 18(B). Thus, in the case that a left-handoperation is performed during travel in Example 3, the only thing sensedis that a shrinking operation has been performed without any indicationof the map position, and shrinking is performed with the center of themap kept in place. The controller 4 determines the sliding amount andsliding speed for the sliding trajectory shown by the white arrows 320and 322, and decides the shrinkage ratio on the basis of the product ofthese two parameters, similar to the case in FIG. 17. Thus, the operatorcan adjust the shrinkage ratio by greatly changing the sliding amountand speed in the case of shrinking as well. FIG. 18(B) displays a shrunkmap 124 that has been shrunk according to a shrinkage ratio decided inthis manner. Similar to the case of enlargement, when the shrinkageratio is smaller than desired, a wide two-point touch and parallelsliding such as are shown in FIG. 18 are repeated. In cases in which themap has been shrunk by too much, the map can be enlarged by the widetwo-point touch and parallel sliding of FIG. 17.

The standard gap 314 of FIGS. 17(A) and 18(A) in Example 3 can be set inadvance by trial and error to a width at which wide and narrow can beappropriately distinguished, using as a basis the gap between fingerseasily operated by the operator when wide and narrow two-point touchesare performed. According to the present invention, the width between thetouch position in a two-point touch can be utilized as inputinformation, as shown in Example 3. A touch position change while atwo-point touch state is continued can also be utilized as inputinformation.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing the details of the map touch process ofstep S24 of FIG. 10 in the case of Example 3. Since a large portion iscommon with FIG. 13 relating to Example 1, common steps are denoted bycommon step numbers, and descriptions are omitted as long as they arenot necessary. To be more specific, steps S112 through S118, step S136,and step S138 in FIG. 19 are common with FIG. 13. As described above,Example 3 relates to a left-hand operation by the driver while driving,and the process after traveling is detected in step S118 in FIG. 19 istherefore different from FIG. 13. The process of this portion isassociated with the operation shown in FIGS. 17 and 18.

In FIG. 19, when it is sensed in step S118 that the vehicle istraveling, step S182 proceeds and a check is made as to whether or notthere has been a parallel slide while the two-point touch is continuedwithin a predetermined time duration following the sensing of atwo-point simultaneous touch state in step S114. When a parallel slideis sensed, step S184 proceeds, and a sliding amount is determined whichis equivalent to the white arrows 308, 310 of FIG. 17(A) or the whitearrows 320, 322 of FIG. 18(A). Also determined in step S186 is thesliding speed in the white arrows 308, 310 or the white arrows 320, 322.

Next, in step S188, the sliding amount determined in step S184 and thesliding speed determined in step S186 are multiplied, and theenlargement ratio or shrinkage ratio of the map is decided based on theproduct thereof In other words, when the sliding amount is the same andthe sliding speed is doubled, or when the sliding amount is doubled andthe sliding speed is the same, for example, the enlargement ratio or theshrinkage ratio decided in step S188 is doubled. When the sliding amountand sliding speed are both doubled, for example, the enlargement ratioor shrinkage ratio determined in step S188 is quadrupled. As describedabove, the sliding amount and sliding speed are both information of thesliding state, and in step S188, the gentler the sliding in terms ofsensation, the lesser the extent of the determined enlargement orshrinkage and the more delicate the adjustment, and the more forcefulthe sliding in terms of sensation, the greater the enlargement orshrinkage.

When the enlargement ratio or shrinkage ratio is decided in step S188,step S190 proceeds, and a check is made as to whether or not thedistance between the two touched points is equal to or greater than apredetermined standard. This predetermined standard is equivalent to thestandard gap 214 of FIG. 17(A) or 18(A). When it is ascertained in stepS190 that the point-to-point distance is equal to or greater than thepredetermined standard, step S192 proceeds, the center is kept in place,the map is enlarged based on the enlargement ratio decided in step S188,and the flow is ended. When it is ascertained in step S190 that thepoint-to-point distance is less than the predetermined standard, stepS194 proceeds, the center is kept in place, the map is shrunk based onthe shrinkage ratio decided in step S188, and the flow is ended.

Step S196 of FIG. 19 is shown as a two-point deciding region mapenlargement process summarizing steps S128 through S134 of FIG. 13, thecontents of which are the same as FIG. 13. In other words, step S196 ofFIG. 19, similar to FIG. 13, is executed by a left downward slantedtwo-point touch being sensed in step S116 (in other words, a rightdownward slanted two-point touch not being detected). Based on theabsolute positions of the two touched points, the map within the regiondecided by the two points is enlarged to fill most of the display part12, and the flow is ended.

The various features of the present invention are not limited to theexamples above and can be widely utilized. For example, Example 3 isconfigured so that information is inputted by determining the width ofthe two touched points and by sliding the two points in a parallelmovement, as in FIGS. 17 and 18. This is to prevent mistaken input whentwo points are touched unintentionally and to execute input pendingsliding after a two-point touch, but in cases in which quick input isprioritized, the configuration may be designed so that input is executedimmediately at the time point when the two-point touch is sensed. Inthis case, steps S182 to S188 are omitted from the flow of FIG. 19, anddetermination of the point-to-point distance in step S190 beginsimmediately after the vehicle is sensed to be traveling in step S118.

EXAMPLE 4

FIG. 20 is a block diagram showing Example 4 of the touch-panel inputdevice according to an embodiment of the present invention. Example 4constitutes a digital camera 402, but most of the contents are the sameas the digital camera 202 in Example 2 of FIG. 14. Consequently, commonportions are denoted by common numbers and are not described. Althoughthe configuration is slightly different, portions that can becomprehended corresponding to Example 2 are given reference numbers of400 added to the common numbers in the tens and ones columns, anddescriptions are added hereinbelow as necessary. These additionallydescribed portions are not unique to Example 4 alone, and it is optionalto also configure Example 2 having such configurations.

While also the case in Example 2 of FIG. 14, the resistive filmtouch-panel display part 212 of Example 4 of FIG. 20 is a large partprovided over nearly the entire back surface of the digital camera 402,and when an optical system 452 is taken in both hands and pointed towarda subject, the subject image can be observed from the back surface ofthe digital camera 402, and the resistive film touch-panel display part212 can be naturally touched with the thumbs of both hands holding thedigital camera 402.

In Example 4 of FIG. 20, the optical system 452 is a zoom lens system,and optical zooming is performed by a zoom mechanism 470 driving thelens configuration of the optical system 452 to change the focal pointdistance thereof by the control of a controller 404. Zooming is operatedby touching the resistive film touch-panel display part 212, and inaccordance with this operation, zooming is executed not only by anoptical zoom by the optical system 452 such as that described above, butalso by an electronic zoom by the image processing part 256. Asdescribed above, the zoom operation can be performed naturally by thethumbs of both hands on the resistive film touch-panel display part 212while the digital camera 402 is held in both hands and pointed towards asubject to observe the subject.

Furthermore, an acceleration sensor 472 is capable of detectingorientation changes in the digital camera 402 as well as sensinggravitational acceleration in a standstill state, and the accelerationsensor 472 detects whether the zooming operation in the resistive filmtouch-panel display part 212 is performed with the digital camera 402taken vertically or taken horizontally. The zoom operation by theresistive film touch-panel display part 212 is explained in detailhereinbelow.

FIG. 21 is a screen view showing a subject image displayed on theresistive film touch-panel display part 212 in a state in which thedigital camera 402 of Example 4 is taken horizontally in both hands, andshown herein is the manner in which the subject image is enlarged byzooming in. To be more specific, FIG. 21(A) shows a state in which theleft and right edges of a range 478 to be enlarged are indicated bytouching the resistive film touch-panel display part 212 with the thumb474 of the right hand and the thumb 476 of the left hand when thedigital camera 402 is held in both hands, and the thumbs 474 and 476 arethen slid outward as shown by the arrows 480 and 482 while the touch iscontinued to increase the horizontal distance between the two touchedpoints.

When the thumbs 474 and 476 of both hands are then removed from theresistive film touch-panel display part 212 at any desired point in timeduring the sliding, in response, the enlarging range 478 indicated inthe state of FIG. 21(A) is enlarged and displayed as an enlarged image484 to fill most of the screen of the resistive film touch-panel displaypart 212 as in FIG. 21(B). When the thumbs 474 and 476 are slid apartbeyond the limits of the resistive film touch-panel display part 212while remaining touched to the rear surface of the digital camera 402,this is also discerned as the thumbs 474 and 476 of both hands beingremoved from the resistive film touch-panel display part 212.

The sliding operation of FIG. 21(A), in which the point-to-pointhorizontal distance is increased after the two-point simultaneous touchby the thumbs 474 and 476 of both hands, may be performed at any desiredspeed. Specifically, the enlargement ratio from FIG. 21(A) to FIG. 21(B)depends solely on the size of the enlarging range 478 in FIG. 21(A), anda zoom in is performed at the maximum processable speed until theenlarging range 478 is enlarged to fill most of the screen of theresistive film touch-panel display part 212, regardless of the slidingspeed of the thumbs 474 and 476 of both hands. When this zoom in cannotbe handled by an optical zoom at this time, an electronic zoom is alsorecruited. When the enlarging range 478 is too small and the zoomcapacity range to which it is enlarged to fill most of the screen isexceeded, the zoom in is stopped at the time point when the maximumenlargement possible is performed.

The indication of the enlarging range 478 in FIG. 21(A) in the abovedescription is ultimately a criterion of the enlargement ratio, and itis not that there is an enlargement as in FIG. 21(B) of the enlargingrange 478 itself (hereinbelow referred to suitably as the section 478),which is the absolute positions indicated by the right hand thumb 474and the left hand thumb 476. In other words, the enlargement isperformed concentrically based on the horizontal distance between theleft and right edges regardless of the absolute positions of the section478. This is because the optical zoom by nature is performedconcentrically around the center of the image. Originally, it isdifficult to accurately indicate the screen center portion by the righthand thumb 474 and the left hand thumb 476, but the enlargement ratiocan thereby be indicated in terms of sensation without regard to theabsolute positions of the section 478. Consequently, in extreme cases,even when the section 478 is far displaced to the left or right, theinformation of the section 478 is employed using the horizontaldistances between its left and right edges as information forcalculating the enlargement ratio, and is not employed as absoluteposition information for cutting out and enlarging the section 478 as inFIG. 21(B). Thus, section-indicating information in the zoom operationof the present invention has a different meaning than cutting-awayinformation for part of the image. In an electronic zoom, the portion ofthe indicated section 478 can be cut out and enlarged based on theabsolute positions of the section, but for the sake of consistency withthe optical zoom such as is described above, the electronic zoom inExample 4 is also configured so that indicating information of thesection 478 is treated as relative information for calculating theenlargement ratio rather than as absolute information for cutting awaythe image. Consequently, enlargement with an electronic zoom isperformed concentrically according to the calculated enlargement ratioregardless of the absolute positions of the section 478.

FIG. 22 is a screen view showing a subject image displayed on theresistive film touch-panel display part 212 in a state in which thedigital camera 402 of Example 4 is taken horizontally in both hands,similar to FIG. 21, wherein the manner in which the subject image isshrunk by zooming out is shown. To be more specific, FIG. 22(A) shows astate in which the resistive film touch-panel display part 212 istouched with the thumb 474 of the right hand and the thumb 476 of theleft hand when the digital camera is held in both hands, and the thumbs474 and 476 of both hands are then slid inward as shown by the arrows486 and 488 while the touch is continued to reduce the horizontaldistance between the two touched points.

When the thumbs 474 and 476 of both hands are then removed from theresistive film touch-panel display part 212 at any desired point in timeduring the sliding, in response, the portion displayed in most of thescreen in FIG. 22(A) is shrunk to the corresponding portion 490 of FIG.22(B), and an image of a wider shooting range is displayed on theresistive film touch-panel display part 212. When such shrinking takesplace, the image outside of the corresponding portion 490 in FIG. 22(B)is not visible in the state of FIG. 22(A) before shrinking, andindicating a shrinkage indication as a section on the screen would havelittle intuitive significance. The shrinkage ratio in this case ofshrinkage is then decided by the product of the movement amount andmovement speed of the arrows 486 and 488 of FIG. 22(A). For example,when the movement amount is the same and the movement speed is doubled,or when the movement amount is doubled and the movement speed is thesame, the shrinkage ratio is doubled; and when both are doubled, theshrinkage ratio is quadrupled. The shrinkage ratio can thereby beindicated intuitively in conjunction with the movement of the thumbs 474and 476 of both hands.

As described above, Example 4 is configured so that indication isperformed by the enlarged range being indicated within the screen by theinitial finger touch positions as in FIG. 21(A) when the enlargementratio is indicated, or by the extent of the force of the movement of thefingers as in FIG. 22(A) when the shrinkage ratio is indicated, so as tobe in accordance with the intuition of the operator. However, theconfiguration may be designed so that either the ratios of bothenlargement and shrinkage are indicated by the initial finger touchpositions, or enlargement and shrinkage are both performed according tothe extent of the force of the finger movements. In either case, theuser can intuitively perform the desired zoom by drawing the thumbs ofboth hands apart or together after touching the screen, even withoutknowing the general rules whereby the enlargement ratio and shrinkageratio are indicated. When the zoom is insufficient or excessive, theinverse operation can be performed to correct this, and the appropriatefinger movements can be perceived by thus becoming familiar with theoperations.

FIG. 23 is a screen view showing a subject image displayed on theresistive film touch-panel display part 212 in a state in which thedigital camera 402 of the controller 4 is taken vertically in bothhands. In this case as well, zooming in and zooming out can be performedaccording to the increase or decrease in the horizontal distance betweenthe two touched points on the resistive film touch-panel display part212 by the horizontal movement of the right hand thumb 474 and the lefthand thumb 476 shown respectively by the arrow 492 and the arrow 494. Atthis time, a direction parallel to the short edges of the resistive filmtouch-panel display part 212 is assessed to be the horizontal directionby the gravitational acceleration sensing by the acceleration sensor 472of FIG. 20. Thus, a change in the point-to-point distance parallel tothe long edges of the resistive film touch-panel display part 212 inFIGS. 21 and 22, and a change in the point-to-point distance parallel tothe short edges of the resistive film touch-panel display part 212 inFIG. 23, are both detected as zoom operations by vertical and horizontaldirection sensing by the acceleration sensor 472. The details of zoomingin and zooming out in the vertical position holding state in FIG. 23 arethe same as those of the operation in the horizontal position holdingstate in FIGS. 21 and 22 and are therefore not described.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart of the action of the controller 404 in Example 4of FIG. 20. The flowchart of FIG. 24 has many portions similar to theaction of the controller 204 of the digital camera 202 of Example 2 inFIG. 16; therefore, common steps are denoted by the same step numbersand are not described, and the different steps are emphasized in boldprint.

In Example 4, the sequence transitions to step S202 when a one-pointtouch is sensed in step S148, and a check is made as to whether or not asecond point is touched and a two-point simultaneous touch state issensed within a predetermined time duration after sensing of theone-point touch as shown in FIG. 24. This predetermined time duration isset to an extremely short time duration (e.g., 0.5 seconds), the designis such that some amount of deviation is allowed within thispredetermined time duration assuming the operator's intention is atwo-point simultaneous touch, and this deviation is discerned as atwo-point simultaneous touch. In other words, the objective of the setupof step S202 is to distinguish between the operator intentionallytouching a second point after the first point touch, and the operatorintending a two-point simultaneous touch. When a substantial two-pointsimultaneous touch is sensed in step S202, the zoom process of step S204proceeds, and when this is complete, step S146 is resumed. Theabove-mentioned steps S202 and S204 are equivalent to the zoom functionsby simultaneous touching of the thumbs 474 and 476 of both handsdescribed in FIGS. 21 to 23, and the details of step S204 are explainedhereinafter.

In the case that a two-point simultaneous touch is not sensed within thepredetermined time duration in step S202, step S206 proceeds and a checkis made as to whether or not the first point touch position sensed instep S148 has remained unchanged for a predetermined time duration. Thismeans that when step S206 is reached from step S148 via step S202, it isassumed that the operation is to indicate the focus and exposureadjustment position in the subject, and a check is made as to whether ornot this position has been maintained without deviation from thepredetermined time duration. The predetermined time duration in stepS206 is one second, for example, and this is set as a natural timeduration width in which the operator stops their finger on the touchposition with the intention of indicating the focus and the exposureadjustment position. When the first-point touch position is ascertainedin step S206 to have remained unchanged for a predetermined timeduration, the sequence transitions to the focus and exposure adjustmentprocess of step S208. The content of step S208 is the same as steps S150to S156 of FIG. 16. When a deviation in the first-point touch positionhas occurred within the predetermined time duration in step S206, it isassessed to be a mistaken operation of position indication, step S146 isresumed, and the sequence waits for another first-point touch in stepS148. In other words, in Example 2 of FIG. 16, focus and exposureadjustment of the touched position are immediately begun after theone-point touch is sensed in step S148, whereas in Example 4 of FIG. 24,focus and exposure adjustment of the one-point touch sensed position arebegun upon distinguishing the zoom operation and ascertaining that therehas been no mistaken operation.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing the details of the zoom process in stepS204 of FIG. 24. When the flow starts, horizontal direction sensing isfirst performed by the acceleration sensor 472 in step S121, and thehorizontal distance between the two touched points, i.e., thepoint-to-point distance in a directional component parallel to eitherthe short-edge direction or the long-edge direction of the resistivefilm touch-panel display part 212, is calculated based on the sensingresult. The horizontal directional component alone is thereby calculatedas the point-to-point horizontal distance even when the two touchedpoints are misaligned in a perpendicular direction. Step S216 thenproceeds, the value calculated in step S214 is stored as thepoint-to-point horizontal distance at the time point when touch isinitiated, and the time instant thereof is stored.

Next, the elapse of a predetermined time duration (e.g., one second) ischecked in step S218, step S220 proceeds when it has not elapsed, and acheck is made as to whether or not there has been a change in thepoint-to-point distance as a result of the finger sliding. When a changeis sensed, the sequence transitions to step S222, the point-to-pointhorizontal distance after the change and the time instant thereof arestored, and the sequence transitions to step S224. A check is made instep S224 as to whether or not the two-point touch has ceased, and whenit has not ceased, step S218 is resumed. Step S218 is also resumed inthe case that there has been no change in the point-to-point horizontaldistance in step S220. Steps S218 through S224 are repeated hereinbelowas long as the two-point touch has not ceased until the predeterminedtime duration elapses, and every time there is a change in thepoint-to-point horizontal distance, the distance and time instant areupdated and stored in step S222.

When a cessation of the two-point touch is sensed in step S224, stepS226 proceeds, and the point-to-point horizontal distance at the timeinstant at the time point of touch cessation are confirmed based on themost recent information of the stored updated result of step S222. Acheck is then made in step S228 as to whether or not the point-to-pointhorizontal distance has increased, from a comparison of the horizontaldistances between the two points at the time point of touch initiationand the time point of touch ending. When an increase is ascertained, anenlarging zoom process of step S230 is performed, the sequencetransitions to step S232, the entire storage associated with thepoint-to-point horizontal distance is deleted, and the flow is ended.The details of the enlarging zoom process are explained hereinafter. Inthe case that an increase in the point-to-point horizontal distance isnot ascertained in step S228, it means that the point-to-pointhorizontal distance has decreased, step S234 therefore proceeds, ashrinking zoom process is performed, and the sequence transitions tostep S232. The details of the shrinking zoom process are also explainedhereinafter. In the case that an elapse of the predetermined timeduration is ascertained either while there is no change in thepoint-to-point horizontal distance in step S218 or while there is achange but the two-point touch does not cease, the sequence transitionsdirectly to step S232, the storage is deleted without performing thezoom operation, and the flow is ended.

FIG. 26 is a flowchart showing the details of the enlarging zoom processin step S230 of FIG. 25. When the flow starts, the point-to-pointhorizontal distance at the touch initiation time point is first dividedby the horizontal distance between the left and right edges of theresistive film touch-panel display part 212 in step S242, and theenlargement ratio is found. The point-to-point horizontal distance atthe touch initiation time point is stored in step S216 of FIG. 25, andis equivalent to the horizontal distance between the left and rightedges of the enlargement target range 478 in FIG. 21(A).

Next, in step S244, a check is made as to whether or not the digitalcamera 402 is currently in an electronic zoom region. Being in anelectronic zoom region means a state in which an optical image is zoomedin to a telephoto end (the farthest telescoped zoom end) by opticalzooming and the image is then further enlarged by image processing. Whenthe camera is not in an electronic zoom region, step S246 proceedsbecause it is possible to zoom in to the telephoto side by opticalzooming, and a check is made as to whether or not the enlargement ratiocalculated in step S242 has been reached. At the initiation of zoomingin, the enlargement ratio has of course initially not yet been reached,step S248 therefore proceeds, and the zoom mechanism 470 is driven at apredetermined speed (the maximum speed of which the mechanical structureis capable) to perform a predetermined amount (the smallest unitpossible) of zooming in. Next, in step S250, a check is made as towhether or not the optical zooming has reached the telephoto end, andwhen the telephoto end has not been reached, step S246 is resumed andsteps S246 through S250 are repeated until either the enlargement ratiois reached or the optical zooming reaches the telephoto end.

When the enlargement ratio is ascertained to have been reached in stepS246, the desired zoom in will have been successfully achieved, and theflow therefore ends immediately. When it is ascertained in step S250that the optical zooming has not reached the telephoto end, theenlargement ratio cannot be achieved with optical zooming alone, and thesequence therefore transitions to step S252. In step S252, a check ismade as to whether or not an enlargement ratio less an amountcompensating for zoom-in deceleration has been achieved. Thisdeceleration compensating amount, which is for eliminating any sense ofdisorder between optical zooming and electronic zooming, reduces thezoom speed near the end of electronic zooming and imitates themechanical drive stopping of optical zooming The term “decelerationcompensating amount” means a ratio change amount for compensating forthis deceleration in electronic zooming

In the case that it is not ascertained in step S252 that an enlargementratio less the deceleration compensating amount of zooming was achieved,step S254 proceeds, and zooming in is performed with a predeterminedenlargement amount and enlargement speed that resemble the maximum speedof optical zooming Enlargement in this case is performed concentricallywith the image center as a standard. Next, in step S256, a check is madeas to whether or not electronic zooming has reached an enlargement limit(a telephoto end) less the deceleration compensating amount of zoomingin, and when the telephoto end has not been reached, step S252 isresumed and steps S252 through S256 are repeated until electroniczooming reaches either the enlargement ratio less the decelerationcompensating amount or the telephoto end. When it is ascertained in stepS252 that the enlargement ratio less the deceleration compensatingamount has been reached, step S258 proceeds, the rest of the enlargementprocess is performed to achieve the enlargement ratio by an enlargementelectronic zoom deceleration stopping process, and the flow is ended. Instep S256, also in the case that the electronic zooming is ascertainedto have reached the telephoto end with the deceleration compensatingamount having been subtracted, step S258 proceeds, the rest of theenlargement process is performed to achieve the enlargement ratio by anenlargement electronic zoom deceleration stopping process, and the flowis ended.

When an electronic zoom region is currently sensed in step S244, stepS260 proceeds and a check is performed as to whether or not theelectronic zoom is already in the telephoto end. When it is not in thetelephoto end, step S252 proceeds, and hereinbelow the same process isexecuted as that leading to step S252 via optical zooming in the abovedescription. In the case that it is ascertained in step S260 that theelectronic zoom has reached the telephoto end, the flow is endedimmediately.

FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing the details of the shrinking zoom processin step S234 of FIG. 25. When the flow starts, first, the amount ofchange in the point-to-point horizontal distance is calculated in stepS262, and the speed of change in the point-to-point horizontal distanceis calculated in step S264. These calculations are based on the storedvalues in steps S216 and S222 of FIG. 25. In step S266, the shrinkageratio is found based on the product of the amount of change and thespeed of change in the point-to-point horizontal distance.

Next, in step S268, a check is made as to whether or not the digitalcamera 402 is currently in the electronic zoom region. When the camerais sensed as currently being in the electronic zoom region, step S270proceeds, and a check is made as to whether or not the shrinkage ratiocalculated in step S266 is achievable with electronic zooming This meansthat the shrinkage ratio is too great and will not suffice with theimage information that has been imaged, and the check is of whether ornot the state is such that the shrinkage ratio cannot be achievedwithout obtaining wider-angle image information even with opticalzooming

When it is ascertained in step S270 that the shrinkage ratio is notachievable by electronic zooming alone, step S272 proceeds, and a zoomout image process is performed with a predetermined shrinkage speed andshrinkage amount that resemble the maximum speed of optical zooming Aconcentric shrinking process with the image center as a standard isperformed for the shrinking process of this case as well. Step S274 thenproceeds, and a check is performed as to whether or not the electroniczoom is in a wide end which is the limit of the imaging information.When the zoom is not in the wide end, step S272 is resumed, steps S272and S274 are repeated until the electronic zoom reaches the wide end,and electronic zooming is executed. When the electronic zoom reaches thewide end, the sequence transitions immediately to step S276. Thus, inthe case that it is ascertained in advance in step S270 that theshrinkage ratio is not achievable by electronic zooming alone, thesequence immediately transitions to zooming out by optical zooming ofstep S276 onward without performing the electronic zoom decelerationprocess.

In step S276, a check is made as to whether or not the shrinkage ratiocalculated in step S266 has been reached. Since, as shall be apparent,the shrinkage ratio has not yet been reached at the start of thetransition from step S274, step S278 proceeds, and the zoom mechanism470 is driven to perform a predetermined amount (the smallest possibleunit) of zooming out at a predetermined speed (the maximum speed ofwhich the mechanical structure is capable), similar to the case ofzooming in. Next, in step S280, a check is made as to whether or not theoptical zoom has reached the wide end, and when it has not reached thewide end, step S276 is resumed, and steps S276 through S280 are repeateduntil wither the shrinkage ratio is reached or the optical zoom reachesthe wide end.

When it is ascertained in step S276 that the enlargement ratio isreached, the desired zoom out will have been successfully achieved, andthe flow is therefore ended immediately. The flow is ended because anyfurther zooming out is not possible also in the case that it isascertained in step S280 that the optical zoom has reached the wide end.In the case that it is ascertained in step S268 that the camera iscurrently not in the electronic zoom region, the sequence transitionsimmediately to step S276, and zooming out is hereinbelow executed byoptical zooming similar to that described in the case of employingelectronic zooming of step S274.

When it is ascertained in step S270 the shrinkage ratio calculated instep S266 can be achieved by an electronic zoom, the sequencetransitions to step S282, and a zoom out is performed with apredetermined shrinkage speed and shrinkage amount resembling themaximum speed of optical zoom, similar to step S272. The shrinkingprocess of this case is also a concentric shrinking process using theimage center as a standard. In step S284, a check is made as to whetheror not the shrinkage ratio less a deceleration compensating amount ofzooming out has been reached. This zoom out deceleration compensatingamount, which is for eliminating any sense of disorder between opticalzooming and electronic zooming similar to the case of zooming in,reduces the zoom speed near the end of electronic zooming and imitatesthe mechanical drive stopping of optical zooming in cases in which theflow from steps S276 and S280 is ended.

In the case that it is not ascertained in step S284 that a shrinkageratio less the deceleration compensating amount of zooming out wasachieved, step S282 is resumed, and steps S282 and S284 are hereinbelowrepeated until the electronic zoom reaches the shrinkage ratio less thedeceleration compensating amount. When it is ascertained in step S284that the shrinkage ratio less the deceleration compensating amount hasbeen reached, step S286 proceeds, the rest of the shrinking process isperformed by a shrinkage electronic zoom deceleration stopping processto achieve the shrinkage/enlargement ratio, and the flow is ended. Thus,in cases of shrinkage in which the shrinkage ratio can be achieved by anelectronic zoom alone, a deceleration stopping process resembling anoptical zoom is performed, and in cases of the shrinking process beingtaken over by optical zooming, the sequence transitions to an opticalzoom without performing the deceleration stopping process as describedabove.

EXAMPLE 5

Next, Example 5 of the touch-panel input device according to anembodiment of the present invention will be described. Example 5 relatesto a digital camera and is configured as an example in which videoshooting is also possible in addition to still image shooting. Since theessential configuration is similar to Example 4 , FIG. 20 is cited. Forzooming operations, zooming in and out are performed by drawing apart ortogether the thumbs of both hands that have taken the digital camera 402as in FIGS. 21 and 22. In the case of video shooting, the zoomingoperation is during shooting instead of before shooting, and operationsnot only of the zooming destination point, but of mid-zoom progressincluding the zoom speed as well, are also vital. FIG. 28 is a flowchartdescribing the function of the controller 404 in a case of citing theconfiguration of FIG. 20, centering on such a video shooting mode.

In the digital camera 402 of Example 5 as well, the flow of FIG. 28starts when a power source on operation is performed, a startup processof the digital camera 402 is performed in step S292, a still imageshooting mode is set as the initial state in step S294, and the sequencetransitions to step S296. A check is made in step S296 as to whether ornot a manual operation of the video shooting mode has been performed,and when the operation is sensed, the sequence transitions to step S298.

In step S298, a check is made as to whether or not a one-point touch issensed within a predetermined time duration following the setting of thevideo shooting mode. This predetermined time duration is set to acomparatively long time duration of about ten seconds, for example, butwhen the elapse of this time duration is sensed in step S298 (in otherwords, a one-point touch within the predetermined time duration is notsensed), the video shooting mode is temporarily ended and step S296 isresumed. When setting of another video shooting mode is ascertained instep S296, the sequence transitions to step S298, and the sequence waitsfor a one-point touch to be sensed. When a one-point touch state withinthe predetermined time duration is sensed in step S298, the sequencetransitions to step S300, and subject information in the position wherethe touch is sensed is stored. In other words, the significance of theone-point touch in the video shooting mode is for storing trackinginformation of the main subject, and the color, pattern, placement offeature points, and other attributes of the one-point touched portion inthe subject displayed on the resistive film touch-panel display part 212are stored as main subject specific information in step S300.

Next, in step S302, a process is performed for preparing tracking focusand tracking exposure adjustment pertaining to the main subject in thevideo shooting on the basis of the information stored in step S300, andstep S304 proceeds. The execution of tracking focus and trackingexposure adjustment prepared in step S302 is hereinafter continued frominitiation of recording until it is stopped. In step S304, a check ismade as to whether or not a predetermined time duration has elapsedfollowing the sensing of a one-point touch in step S298. Thispredetermined time duration is about two seconds, for example, and isset as a time duration for waiting for video shooting to be initiated bya sensing of a second point touch after the main subject to be trackedhas been decided by the first point touch. As is explained hereinafter,in the case that a second point touch is not sensed within thispredetermined time duration, the storing of tracking information basedon the first point touch is canceled.

When a predetermined time duration elapse is not sensed in step S304,step S306 proceeds and whether or not the one-point touch has ceased ischecked. In the case that a one-point touch cessation is not sensed,step S308 proceeds, and a check is made as to whether or not a two-pointsimultaneous touch state has occurred as a result of a second pointbeing touched while the first point touch is continued. When a two-pointsimultaneous touch state is sensed, step S310 proceeds and recording isinitiated. Thereby, a process is initiated in which video imagecompression is performed by the image processing part 256 and acompressed image is stored in the image storage part 258, and this iscontinued until a record stop command. In the case that a two-pointsimultaneous touch state is not sensed in step S308, step S304 isresumed, and steps S304 through S308 are hereinbelow repeated pending asecond point touch as long as the predetermined time duration does notelapse and the one-point touch is not ceased.

When recording is initiated in step S310, a check is made in tandem instep S312 as to whether or not there have been a two-point simultaneoustouch and a slide within a predetermined time duration. Thepredetermined time duration herein is similar to that in step S202 ofFIG. 24, and is for sensing an intentional two-point touch operation forzooming by the thumbs of both hands. When this is sensed, a videoshooting zoom process of step S314 is performed. The details thereof areexplained hereinafter. When the video shooting zoom process of step S314is complete, whether or not a one-point double touch has been performedis sensed in step S316. This is to prevent a two-point simultaneoustouch state from occurring and to sense whether or not the touch hasbeen performed for a predetermined interval, and the double touchposition may be anywhere and need not be a touch in the same location.When a double touch is sensed, step S318 proceeds, recording is stopped,and the sequence transitions to step S320. When a one-point double touchis not sensed in step S316, step S312 is resumed and video shooting iscontinued while a zooming operation is enabled.

When an elapse of the predetermined time duration is sensed in step S304or when a one-point touch cessation is sensed in step S306, step S322proceeds, the tracking preparation process in step S302 is canceled, andthe sequence transitions to step S320. When a setting of the videoshooting mode is not sensed in step S296, the sequence immediatelytransitions to the still image shooting mode and the playback modeprocess of step S324. This step S324 is the same process as steps S146to S148, steps S202 to S208, steps S158 to S166, and steps S170 to S178of Example 4 in FIG. 24.

Step S320 of FIG. 28 is the same as step S168 of FIG. 24, and a check ismade as to whether or not the power source off operation of the digitalcamera 402 has been performed. When the power source off operation hasbeen sensed, the flow is ended. In the case that there is no sensing ofthe power source off operation in step S320, the sequence returns to thestill image shooting mode and step S296 is resumed. Steps S296 to S320are repeated hereinbelow as long as the power source off operation isnot detected in step S320. Based on the action of the still imageshooting mode, the digital camera is adapted to shooting initiation andstopping and the zooming operations in the case that the video shootingmode is set, and to the operation of transitioning to the playback modeand the operation of returning to the still image shooting mode.

FIG. 29 is a flowchart showing the details of the video shooting zoomprocess in step S314 of FIG. 28. When the flow starts, first, a check isperformed in step S332 as to whether or not the point-to-pointhorizontal distance has increased by a predetermined amount. Thepredetermined amount is the smallest unit that can be sensed andcontrolled. When a predetermined amount increase is sensed in thepoint-to-point horizontal distance, the sequence transitions to stepS334, and whether or not the optical zoom is in the telephoto end ischecked. When the zoom is not in the telephoto end, the sequencetransitions to step S336, a zoom in is performed by optical zooming by apredetermined amount corresponding to the sensing of step S332, and thesequence transitions to step S338. In the case that a predeterminedamount increase of the point-to-point horizontal distance is not sensedin step S332, or in the case that the optical zoom is not sensed asbeing in the telephoto end in step S334, the sequence transitionsdirectly to step S338.

In step S338, a check is made as to whether or not the point-to-pointhorizontal distance has decreased by a predetermined amount. Thispredetermined amount is the smallest unit that can be sensed andcontrolled. When a decrease of a predetermined amount in thepoint-to-point horizontal distance is sensed, the sequence transitionsto step S340, and whether or not the optical zoom is in the wide end ischecked. When the zoom is not in the wide end, the sequence transitionsto step S342, a zoom out is performed by optical zooming by apredetermined amount corresponding to the sensing of step S338, and thesequence transitions to step S344. In the case that a predeterminedamount decrease of the point-to-point horizontal distance is not sensedin step S338, or in the case that the optical zoom is not sensed asbeing in the wide end in step S340, the sequence transitions directly tostep S344.

In step S344, whether or not the two-point simultaneous touch state hasceased is checked. When a two-point simultaneous touch cessation issensed, the flow is ended. When a two-point simultaneous touch cessationis not sensed in step S344, step S346 proceeds, and a check is made asto whether or not a state of no change in the point-to-point distancehas continued for a predetermined time duration. When this state of nochange is sensed, the flow is ended. In the case that a lack of changeis not sensed in step S346, the zoom operation is continued, step S332is therefore resumed, steps S332 through S346 are hereinbelow repeatedas long there is no sensing of either a two-point simultaneous touchcessation or a lack of change in the point-to-point distance for apredetermined time duration or longer, and the device is adapted to thezoom operation during video shooting. As is comprehended from the flow,the zoom operation can be zooming in or zooming out as desired. The zoomspeed can also be changed as desired by moving the thumbs of both handswhich establish the point-to-point horizontal distance.

FIG. 30 is a screen view showing a playback screen displayed on theresistive film touch-panel display part 212 in a playback mode of eitherthe digital camera 202 of Example 2 shown in FIG. 14 or the digitalcamera 402 of Example 4 shown in FIG. 20. FIG. 30(A) shows a case inwhich a playback image 502 is displayed in the entire screen, whereinthe image is cut out and stored in a rectangle shape in order to editthe image. A rectangular region 510 is discerned, whose diagonal is aline joining the touch position 506 of the thumb of the right hand 504and the touch position 508 of the index finger. This discernment, whichis for avoiding mistaken operations, is made by ascertaining that thetwo-point touch positions do not change over a predetermined timeduration (e.g., two seconds). In other words, in terms of an operation,the cut out portion can be indicated and stored by deliberatelycontinuing to touch the two points at opposite corners of therectangular region 510 with two fingers for a predetermined timeduration. When the two points are discerned, the rectangular region 510is cut out as in FIG. 30(B), and image data thereof is storedseparately.

FIG. 31, similar to FIG. 30, is a screen view showing a playback imagedisplayed on the resistive film touch-panel display part 212 in theplayback mode of either the digital camera 202 of Example 2 shown inFIG. 14 or the digital camera 402 of Example 4 shown FIG. 20. The caseof FIG. 31(A) shows an operation of cutting out part of a playback image502 displayed on the entire screen into a circular shape for editing andstoring this part, and first stored are the initial touch positions 512and 514 of the thumb and index finger of the right hand 504. The resultof sliding and rotating the right hand 512 within a predetermined timeduration (e.g., two seconds) following the initial touch is that themovement situation of the thumb and index finger shown by the arrows 516and 518 is sensed. In the example of FIG. 31(A), the right hand 504 isrotated clockwise, and as a result, the vertical gap between the twopoints decreases as shown by the arrows 520 and 522, and the horizontaldistance between the two points enlarges as shown by the arrows 524 and526. Thus, when the directions of change in the horizontal gap (theX-axis directional component) and the vertical gap (the Y-axisdirectional component) of the two points are sensed to be reversed, itis determined that the touching thumb and index finger are both drawingan arc and being rotated, and a circular region 528 whose diameter isformed by the initially stored touch position 512 of the thumb and touchposition 514 of the index finger is discerned. The discerned circularregion 528 is then cut out as in FIG. 31(B), and image data thereof isstored separately.

FIG. 32 is a flowchart showing step S176 along with the details of theplayback mode of step S174 in either the flowchart of FIG. 16 relatingto the action of the digital camera 202 of Example 2 or the flowchart ofFIG. 24 relating to the action of the digital camera 402 of Example 4.When the flow starts, the most recently shot image is first displayed onthe entire screen on the resistive film touch-panel display part 212 instep S352. Whether or not a slideshow operation has been performed isthen checked in step S354. When this operation has not been performed,whether or not there is an image feeding operation is checked in stepS356. When there is, step S358 proceeds, the image displayed on theentire screen is varied to the previous or following image according tothe operation, and the sequence transitions to step S360. When there isno image feeding operation, the sequence transitions from step S356directly to step S360.

In step S360, a check is made as to whether or not there has been anoperation for performing a thumbnail display. When there has, thesequence transitions to the thumbnail display and selection process ofstep S362. This process first displays a tabulation of a plurality ofimage thumbnails, and selects one of these thumbnails in response to afeeding operation as necessary. When a thumbnail selection is performed,the sequence transitions to step S364, the selected image is displayedon the entire screen, and the sequence transitions to step S366. In thecase that a thumbnail operation is not sensed in step S360, the sequencetransitions directly to step S366. As described above, when the sequencearrives at step S366, a state will have been in effect in which one ofthe following is being performed: a full screen display of the mostrecently shot image by step S352, a full screen display of the imagevaried by image feeding in step S358, or a full screen display of theimage displayed as a result of the thumbnail selection in step S364.

Step S366 checks whether or not a one-point touch is sensed in such afull screen display state of the image. When a one-point touch state issensed, the sequence transitions to step S368, and a check is made as towhether or not a second point is touched and a two-point simultaneoustouch state is sensed within a predetermined time duration after thesensing of the one-point touch. This predetermined time duration is setto an extremely short time duration (e.g., 0.5 seconds), the design issuch that some amount of deviation is allowed within this predeterminedtime duration assuming the operator's intention is a two-pointsimultaneous touch, and this deviation is discerned as a two-pointsimultaneous touch. In other words, the objective of the setup of stepS368 is to distinguish between the operator intentionally touching asecond point after the first point touch, and the operator intending atwo-point simultaneous touch. When a substantial two-point simultaneoustouch is sensed in step S368, step S370 proceeds and the touch positionsof the two points are stored.

Next, using the stored two point positions as a standard, a check ismade in step S372 as to whether or not the positions of the two touchedpoints have been preserved unchangingly for a subsequent predeterminedtime duration (e.g., two seconds) or longer. When there has been achange in the two point positions, step S374 proceeds, and a check ismade as to whether or not the directions of change in the horizontal gap(the X-axis directional component) and the vertical gap (the Y-axisdirectional component) of the two points are reversed as a result of thechange in the two-point touch positions. When the point-to-point gap X-and Y-axis component change directions are sensed to have reversed as aresult of this check, step S376 proceeds, a rotation operation isassessed to have been enacted, and the sequence transitions to stepS378. In step S378, a circular region is discerned whose diameter isformed by the two-point touch positions stored in step S370, an image ofthe discerned circular region is cut out and stored, and the sequencetransitions to step S176. This is equivalent to the function shown inFIG. 31.

When it is ascertained in step S372 that with the stored two pointpositions as a standard, the positions of the two touched points havebeen preserved unchangingly for a subsequent predetermined time durationor longer, the sequence transitions to step S380, and a rectangularregion is discerned whose diagonal is a line joining the two pointsstored in step S370. An image of the discerned rectangular region is cutout and stored, and the sequence transitions to step S176. This isequivalent to the function shown in FIG. 30.

Step S176 is a recitation of the a step of the flowchart of FIG. 16 orthe flowchart of FIG. 24 in order to make the function of FIG. 32 easierto understand, wherein a check is made as to whether or not the shootingmode setting operation has been performed. In the case that this settingis not sensed, the flow returns to step S352 at the head of FIG. 32.When it is sensed in step S354 that the slideshow operation has beenperformed, the sequence transitions to the slideshow process of stepS382, and a slideshow is executed. When the slideshow during theslideshow process is completed, step S352 is resumed. Steps S352 throughS382 and step S176 are hereinbelow repeated as long as the playback modeending operation (in other words, the shooting mode setting operation)is not sensed in step S176, and the device is adapted to variousoperations in the playback mode. When the shooting mode settingoperation is sensed in step S176, the sequence transitions to step S168in FIG. 16 or FIG. 24.

FIG. 33 is a flowchart showing another example of the details of thevideo shooting zoom process in step S314 of the flowchart of FIG. 28relating to Example 5. Since a large portion is common with the exampleshown in the flowchart of FIG. 29, common steps are denoted by commonstep numbers and are not described as long as it is not necessary. Toexplain the differences between FIGS. 29 and 33, in FIG. 29, apredetermined amount of driving of optical zooming in or out isperformed in step S336 or step S342 respectively, but the speed is apredetermined speed. In the configuration of FIG. 33, on the other hand,when driving of optical zooming in and out is performed, the zoom speedis changed according to the rate of increase or the rate of decrease inthe horizontal distance between the touch positions of the thumbs ofboth hands.

To be specific, in FIG. 33, in the case that the optical zoom is notsensed as being in the telephoto end in step S334, step S384 proceedsand the speed of the predetermined amount of increase in thepoint-to-point horizontal distance assessed in step S332. The zoom speedis then decided in step S386 based on the sensed increase speed. Next,in step S388, a predetermined amount of optical zoom-in driving isperformed at the decided zoom speed. Similarly, in the case that theoptical zoom is not sensed as being in the wide end in step S340, stepS390 proceeds, and the speed is sensed of the predetermined amount ofdecrease in the point-to-point horizontal distance assessed in stepS338. The zoom speed is then decided in step S392 based on the senseddecrease speed. Next, in step S394, a predetermined amount of opticalzoom-out driving is performed at the decided zoom speed. Thus, zoomingresponsive to the movement speed of the fingers is performed in theexample shown in the flowchart of FIG. 33

EXAMPLE 6

FIG. 34 is an external perspective view showing Example 6 of thetouch-panel input device according to an embodiment of the presentinvention. Example 6 constitutes a digital camera 602, and the internalconfiguration thereof is common with Example 4 of FIG. 20. However, inthe configuration of Example 4, the resistive film touch-panel displaypart 212 displays a subject image in a forward direction when thedigital camera 402 is taken in front of the eyes with both hands, forexample, as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22; while in the configuration ofExample 6 of FIG. 34, when the digital camera 602 is taken in the lefthand 603 at the position of the waist and looked down upon, for example,an optical axis 653 of a zoom lens optical system 652 faces toward thesubject, and a subject image is displayed facing upward on a resistivefilm touch-panel display part 612 provided in parallel with the opticalaxis 652. In other words, Example 4 is configured as a camera having aso-called eye-level finder, whereas Example 6 is configured as a camerahaving a waist-level finder.

Operation of the digital camera 602 is performed by movement of a fingerin a direction parallel with the optical axis 653 in order to preventcamera shake, i.e., by movement of a finger sliding over the resistivefilm touch-panel display part 612. As an example, the zoom operation isperformed by sliding by a one-point touch of the index finger, forexample, as shown by the arrow 607. Such a zoom operation is intuitivelyunderstood easily in terms of sliding in a direction parallel with theoptical axis 653, such that zooming in is performed by pushing the indexfinger of the right hand 605 out forward along the arrow 607 (in adirection approaching the subject), and zooming out is performed bypulling the index finger backward along the arrow 607 (in a directionaway from the subject), for example. A shutter release is performed bymaintaining a still touch of the index finger and sliding the thumb inany desired direction such as in the arrow 609, for example. Such ashutter release by sliding the finger on a plane parallel with theoptical axis 653 in particular has a great effect of preventing camerashake. Placing the optical axis 653 of the zoom lens optical system 652to be parallel with the resistive film touch-panel display part 612 isalso advantageous in terms of placing a comparatively long zoom lensoptical system 652 in a thin digital camera 602.

In the digital camera 602, since the direction of gravitationalacceleration is sensed by an acceleration sensor 472 such as the oneshown in FIG. 20, portrait screen shooting and landscape screen shootingare sensed, which are unique to the waist-level finder. First, when theoptical axis 653 is directed at an angle of 45 degrees or more above thehorizon or 45 degrees or more below the horizon, this is assessed to belandscape screen shooting in which both the up-down direction of theresistive film touch-panel display part 612 and the optical axisdirection 653 are considered to be the same. Upward-downward informationis inverted whether the shooting is upward or downward. Cases when theoptical axis 653 is within 45 degrees above or below the horizon areassessed in two different ways. Specifically, cases in which the opticalaxis 653 is within 45 degrees above or below the horizon and theresistive film touch-panel display part 612 is also within 45 degreesabove or below the horizon (in other words, a normal waist-levelshooting state such as is shown in FIG. 34) are assessed to be landscapescreen shooting. In cases in which the optical axis 653 is within 45degrees above or below the horizon and the resistive film touch-paneldisplay part 612 is tilted 45 degrees or more relative to the horizon,it is assessed to be portrait screen shooting aiming at a subject to theleft or right of the resistive film touch-panel display part 212.Upward-downward information is accordingly inverted by whether theshooting is leftward or rightward. These sensing results are recordedtogether with the image information.

FIG. 35 is a flowchart for describing the function of the controller 404in a case citing the configuration of FIG. 20 in Example 6 describedabove. In a digital camera 604 of Example 6 as well, the flow of FIG. 35starts when a power source on operation is performed, a startup processof the digital camera 602 is performed in step S402, a still imageshooting mode is set as the initial state in step S404, and the sequencetransitions to step S406. A check is made in step S406 as to whether ornot a manual operation of a playback mode setting has been performed,and when there has been no operation, step S408 proceeds.

In step S408, whether or not a one-point touch is sensed is checked.When a one-point touch state is sensed, the sequence transitions to stepS410, and whether or not the touch position has gone unchanged for apredetermined time duration is checked. When the touch position haschanged within the predetermined time duration, step S412 proceeds, anda check is made as to whether or not the change in the touch position isin the optical axis direction of the zoom lens. When a change in thetouch position in the optical axis direction is sensed, the sequencetransitions to the zoom process of step S414. In this zoom process, whenthe change in the one-point touch position in the optical axis directionis in a direction approaching the subject, a zoom in is performed inresponse to the change speed and change amount, and conversely, when thechange in the one-point touch position in a direction moving away fromthe subject, a zoom out is performed in response to the change speed andchange amount. When either the touch has ceased or there is no change inthe touch position for the predetermined time duration, the zoom processis ended and step S406 is resumed.

When a one-point touch is not sensed in step S408, step S406 is resumed.Furthermore, when the change in the touch position is not in the opticalaxis direction in step S412, it is deemed to be a mistaken operation inwhich the touch was unintended and step S406 is resumed. Steps S406through S414 are hereinbelow repeated as long as the playback modesetting operation is not sensed, the one-point touch is sensed but itsposition is not sensed as unchanging for the predetermined timeduration, and there is no change in the optical axis direction in theone-point touch position.

When the one-point touch position is sensed in step S410 as unchangingfor the predetermined time duration, the sequence transitions to stepS416, the position where the touch was sensed is stored, and thefocus/exposure adjustment process of step S418 proceeds. The contents ofthis process are essentially the same as steps S154 and S156 of FIG. 16.When the focus/exposure adjustment process of step S418 ends, step S420proceeds, and a check is made as to whether or not a predetermined timeduration (e.g., two seconds) has elapsed following the sensing of theone-point touch in step S408.

When the predetermined time duration elapse is not sensed in step S420,step S422 proceeds and whether or not the one-point touch has ceased ischecked. In the case that a one-point touch cessation is not sensed,step S424 proceeds and a check is made as to whether or not a two-pointsimultaneous touch state has occurred as a result of a second pointbeing touched while the first point touch is continued. When a two-pointsimultaneous touch state is sensed in step S424, step S426 proceeds anda check is made as to whether or not the second point touch position haschanged within a predetermined time duration (e.g., three seconds forwaiting for an opportunity to take a picture). When a change in thesecond point touch position is sensed, step S428 proceeds, a shutterrelease is performed, and the sequence transitions to step S432 via theimaging process of step S430. The details of the imaging process of stepS430 are explained hereinafter.

In the case that a two-point simultaneous touch state is not sensed instep S424, step S420 is resumed, and steps S420 through S424 arehereinbelow repeated pending a second point touch as long as thepredetermined time duration does not elapse and the one-point touch isnot ceased. When there is no change in the second point touch positionwithin the predetermined time duration in step S426, execution of theshutter release is considered to be postponed and the sequencetransitions to step S432. Thus, camera shake is prevented by executing ashutter release by the movement of the finger sliding of the resistivefilm touch-panel display part 612 parallel to the optical axis 653according to step S426, and instances are prevented in which a shutterrelease is mistakenly executed in the instant when a second point touchis performed without the intention of a shutter release. In step S432, acheck is made as to whether or not the power source off operation of thedigital camera 602 has been performed. When the power source offoperation is sensed, the flow is ended.

When a predetermined time duration elapse is sensed in step S420 or whena one-point touch cessation is sensed in step S422, the sequencetransitions to step S434, storage of the one-point touch is canceled,and the sequence transitions to step S432. It is thereby possible tobegin deciding a new first point touch position as is explainedhereinafter.

When a playback mode setting operation is sensed in step S406, thesequence transitions to step S436 and a playback mode process isperformed. The contents thereof are the same as in Example 2 or Example4 in FIG. 32. In the playback mode process, similar to Example 2 orExample 4, the sequence periodically transitions to step S438 to checkwhether or not there has been a shooting mode setting operation, andwhen there has not, step S436 is resumed and the playback mode iscontinued. When the shooting mode setting operation is sensed in stepS438, the shooting mode is set in step S440 and step S432 proceeds. Aspreviously explained, the flow ends when the power source off operationis sensed in step S432, but in the case that the power source offoperation is not sensed, step S406 is resumed. Steps S406 through S432are hereinbelow repeated as long as the power source off operation isnot sensed in step S432, and essentially the device is adapted to thevarious operations of the shooting mode as well as being adapted to theoperation of transitioning to a suitable playback mode and the operationof returning to the shooting mode. This point is similar to Example 2 orExample 4.

FIG. 36 is a flowchart showing the details of the shooting process instep S340 of FIG. 35. When the flow starts, a color image process isperformed in step S442, the process including an interpolation process,a contour enhancement process, and the like. Next, in step S444, aprocess is performed for displaying the processed color image as a stillimage on the resistive film touch-panel display part 612 for apredetermined time duration, and the image compression process of stepS446 proceeds. When image compression completes, step S448 proceedsahead of the compressed image storage, and gravitational acceleration atthe time of shooting is sensed by the acceleration sensor 472.

In step S450, a check is made as to whether or not the angle of theoptical axis 653 at the time of shooting is tilted upward 45 degrees ormore in relation to the horizon. When step S450 is affirmative, upwardshooting is assessed to be in effect in which the side where the opticlens 652 is placed is the top side of the screen, and landscape screenshooting information is set in step S452. When step S450 is notaffirmative, the sequence transitions to step S454, and a check is madeas to whether or not the angle of the optical axis 653 at the time ofshooting is tilted downward 45 degrees or more in relation to thehorizon. In the case that this is affirmative, downward shooting isassessed to be in effect in which the side where the optic lens 652 isplaced is the bottom side of the screen, and upward-downward informationis inverted in step S456, after which the sequence transitions to stepS452 and landscape screen shooting information is set.

In the case that neither of steps S450 and S454 are affirmative,shooting is thought to be normal wherein the optical axis 653 is nearlyin a horizontal distance, the sequence transitions to step S458, and acurrent check is made as to whether or not the resistive filmtouch-panel display part 612 is tilted 45 degrees or more. When it isnot, the resistive film touch-panel display part 612 is also nearlyhorizontal, the state is thought to be normal waist-level shooting inwhich the side where the optic lens 652 is placed is on the top side ofthe screen as shown in FIG. 34, the sequence therefore transitions tostep S452, and landscape screen shooting information is set.

In the case that the resistive film touch-panel display part 612 issensed in step S458 as being tilted 45 degrees or more, portrait screenshooting is assessed to be in effect in which the digital camera 602 isstood upright and aimed at a subject to the left or right of theresistive film touch-panel display part 612, and whether or not theoptical axis direction is facing to the right is sensed in step S460. Asis understood from FIG. 34, this is because when the digital camera 604is stood upright with the optical axis 653 made to face to the left,portrait screen shooting goes into effect in which the right side of theoptical axis 653 (the top in FIG. 34) is the top side of the screen, andwhen the digital camera 604 is stood upright with the optical axis 653made to face to the right, portrait screen shooting goes into effect inwhich the left side of the optical axis 653 (the bottom in FIG. 34) isthe top side of the screen. Based on the relationship above, when theoptical axis direction is sensed as facing to the right in step S460,the upward-downward information is inverted in step S462, the sequencetransitions to step S464, and portrait screen shooting information isset. When the optical axis direction is sensed as facing to the left (asnot facing to the right in other words) in step S460, the sequencetransitions to step S464 and portrait screen shooting information isset.

When the distinction between portrait screen shooting and landscapescreen shooting and whether or not to invert the upward-downwardinformation are decided in the above manner, step S466 proceeds, andinformation of the decided portrait screen shooting or landscape screenshooting is appended to the compressed image information obtained instep S446. Furthermore, in step S468, the decided upward-downwardinformation is appended to the compressed image information in the samemanner, a process is performed in step S470 for storing the compressedimage with this appended information, and the flow is ended.

The above-described feature of appending information of the distinctionbetween portrait screen shooting and landscape screen shooting andwhether or not to invert the upward-downward information is not limitedto application in the digital camera 602 such as that of Example 6 inwhich the optical axis 653 is fixed in place parallel with the resistivefilm touch-panel display part 612, and can also be applied to a digitalcamera capable of varying the relationship between the finder displayscreen and the optical axis as does an angle finder. In other words,portrait screen shooting and landscape screen shooting can be performedby rotating a 90-degree camera around the optical axis in the case of acamera in which the optical axis is fixed in place at a right angle tothe finder display screen, but various shooting conditions arise incases in which the optical axis is not at a right angle to the finderdisplay screen, the feature of appending information of the distinctionbetween portrait screen shooting and landscape screen shooting andwhether or not to invert the upward-downward information is extremelybeneficial. Furthermore, even in the case of a camera in which theoptical axis is fixed in place at a right angle to the finder displayscreen, the camera is never taken any further upside-down in the case oflandscape screen shooting, but since there are cases of the camera beingrotated 90 degrees to the right and cases of it being rotated 90 degreesto the left when portrait screen shooting is performed, the feature ofappending information of the distinction between portrait screenshooting and landscape screen shooting and whether or not to invert theupward-downward information is beneficial.

Hereinbelow is a summary of the technological features disclosed in thespecification.

<First Technological Features>

The first technological features disclosed in the specification relateto the touch-panel input device. A problem the first technologicalfeatures intend to solve is to provide a practical touch-panel inputdevice in which a touch panel capable of multi-point sensing is put intopractical application.

To solve this problem, the first technological features disclosed in thespecification provide a touch-panel input device comprising a touchpanel, and an input controller for sensing a two-point touch on thetouch panel in either a two-point touch input sensing mode for a righthand suitable for the placement of right fingers or a two-point touchinput sensing mode for a left hand suitable for the placement of leftfingers, the input controller being capable of switching between the twoinput sensing modes. Reasonable two-point touch inputs are therebypossible which are suitable for both the placement of right fingers andthe placement of left fingers.

According to a specific feature, the touch panel is configured as atouch-panel display screen having display and touch panel functions, andthe touch panel is equipped with a display controller for providing thetouch-panel display screen a left hand two-point touch input screensuitable for the placement of right fingers and a left hand two-pointtouch input screen suitable for the placement of left fingers,correspondingly with respect to the two-point touch input sensing modefor the right hand and the two-point touch input sensing mode for theleft hand. GUI inputs by reasonable two-point touches are therebypossible which are suitable for both the placement of right fingers andthe placement of left fingers.

According to another specific feature, the input controller performsinput on the basis of the sensing of two points in which a line joiningthe two points has a left downward slant in the two-point touch inputsensing mode for the right hand, and performs input on the basis of thesensing of two points in which a line joining the two points has aright- downward slant in the two-point touch input sensing mode for theleft hand. This enables input by the right hand thumb and other fingerswhich have a high degree of freedom in movement, as well as input by theright hand thumb and other fingers.

According to another specific feature, the input controller switchesbetween the two-point touch input sensing mode for the right hand andthe two-point touch input sensing mode for the left hand on the basis ofdistinction information. The left and right two-point touch inputsensing modes can thereby be switched automatically. According toanother specific feature, the input controller designates whether theline joining the two sensed points has a left downward slant or a rightdownward slant as distinction information. The two-point touchinformation itself can thereby be distinction information, and separatedistinction means need not be provided.

According to another specific feature, the input controller performs adifferent input on the basis of two-point sensing information in thetwo-point touch input sensing mode for the right hand and the two-pointtouch input sensing mode for the left hand. Thereby, in cases such aswhen the present invention is applied to a touch-panel input deviceinstalled in a vehicle navigation device, for example, a difference ininput can be allowed between left-hand operations by the driver andright-hand operations by the passenger seat occupant, and dangerousoperations by the driver can be prevented. According to another specificfeature, the input controller inputs point-to-point relative positioninformation on the basis of the two-point sensing information in eitherone of the two-point touch input sensing mode for the right hand and thetwo-point touch input sensing mode for the left hand, and inputsabsolute position information of the two points in the other mode. It isthereby possible to appropriately differentiate the uses of relativeposition input which allows easier input and absolute position inputwhich must be exact.

According to another feature, provided is a touch-panel input devicecomprising a touch-panel display screen having display and touch panelfunctions, a display controller for providing the touch-panel displayscreen with a right-hand two-point touch input screen suitable for theplacement of right fingers and a left-hand two-point touch input screensuitable for the placement of left fingers, and a sensor for sensingtwo-point touches on the touch panel. GUI inputs by reasonable two-pointtouches are thereby possible which are suitable for both the placementof right fingers and the placement of left fingers.

According to a specific feature, the display controller provides theright-hand two-point touch input screen on the basis of the sensing oftwo points in which a line joining the two points sensed by the sensorhas a left downward slant, and can automatically switch the input screenon the basis of the sensing of two points in which a line joining thetwo points sensed by the sensor has a right downward slant, whereinthere is no need to provided separate distinction means or the like forswitching the input screen.

According to another feature, provided is a touch-panel input devicecomprising a touch panel, a sensor for sensing a two-point touch on thetouch panel, and a distinction part for distinguishing whether a linejoining the two points sensed by the sensor has a left downward slant ora right downward slant. It is thereby possible to automaticallydistinguish whether the two-point touch is performed with the right handor the left hand, for example.

According to a specific feature, the touch-panel input device isprovided with an input controller for performing an input differing onthe basis of the sensed two points according to whether the line joiningthe sensed two points has a left downward slant or a right downwardslant, according to the distinction part. Different inputs can therebybe performed depending on whether it is a right-hand operation or aleft-hand operation, for example. According to more specific feature,the input controller inputs point-to-point relative position informationon the basis of the two-point sensing information in either one of thecases of the line joining the sensed two points having a left downwardslant or a right downward slant, according to the distinction part, andthe input controller inputs absolute position information of the twopoints in the other case. It is thereby possible to appropriatelydifferentiate the uses of relative position input which allows easierinput and absolute position input which must be exact. According toanother more specific feature, the input controller prohibits apredetermined input in either one of the cases of the line joining thesensed two points having a left downward slant or a right downwardslant, according to the distinction part. Inconvenient input operationscan thereby be prevented according to conditions.

According to another specific feature, the touch panel is configured asa touch-panel display screen having display and touch panel functions,the touch-panel input device comprising a display controller forprohibiting a predetermined display in the touch-panel display screen ineither one of the cases of the line joining the sensed two points havinga left downward slant or a right downward slant, according to thedistinction part. Inconvenient GUI input operations can thereby beprevented according to conditions.

As described above, according to the first technological featuresdisclosed in the specification, it is possible to provide a practicaltouch-panel input device in which a touch panel capable of multi-pointsensing is put into practical application.

<Second Technological Features>

The second technological features disclosed in the specification relateto a touch-panel input device. A problem the second technologicalfeatures intend to solve is to provide a practical touch-panel inputdevice in which a touch panel capable of multi-point sensing is put intopractical application.

To solve this problem, the second technological features disclosed inthe specification provide a touch-panel input device comprising a touchpanel, a sensor for sensing a two-point simultaneous touch state on thetouch panel, and an input controller for performing different inputs inaccordance with the timing of the two-point touch of the sensor. It isthereby possible to prevent confusion in two-point touch operations andto enable inputs with simple operation sensations.

According to a specific feature, the input controller performs input ofdifferent functions in response to a first point touch and a secondpoint touch in a two-point touch sensed by the sensor. It is therebypossible to continuously perform a different input by a second pointtouch continuing from the first point touch, and to continuously performdifferent inputs by continuous touches of different fingers, such as thethumb and index finger, for example.

According to another specific feature of the present invention, theinput controller causes the inputs to differ in response to a timeduration interval from the sensing of the first point touch until thesensing of the second point touch in a two-point touch sensed by thesensor. It is thereby possible to perform the desired input withoutconfusion due to natural differences in the touch sensation. In cases inwhich the time duration interval from the sensing of the first pointtouch until the sensing of the second point touch is equal to or greaterthan a predetermined time duration, when input responding to the secondpoint touch is prohibited, mistaken input caused by an accidentaltwo-point touch can be prevented.

When the time duration interval from the sensing of the first pointtouch until the sensing of the second point touch is equal to or greaterthan a predetermined time duration and when the first point touch andthe second point touch are inputted as associated with each other, forexample, the intentionally performed two-point touch can beappropriately distinguished, and the desired input can be performed.Furthermore, when the time duration interval from the sensing of thefirst point touch until the sensing of the second point touch is equalto or greater than a predetermined time duration and when theconfiguration is designed so that inputs as one-point touch operationsare executed, the uses of one-point operation inputs and two-pointoperation inputs can be differentiated with a natural operationsensation.

According to another feature, provided is a touch-panel input devicecomprising a touch panel, a sensor for sensing a two-point simultaneoustouch state on the touch panel, and an input controller for performinginputs by the combination of the first point touch position and thesecond point touch position in a two-point touch sensed by the sensor.Input based on a combination of a plurality of elements is thereby madepossible.

According to a specific feature, the touch panel is configured as atouch-panel display screen having display and touch panel functions, anda display controller is provided for displaying a touch standardposition on the touch-panel display screen. Thereby, combinationcandidates are appropriately displayed and appropriate selectionsthereof are made by two-point touches.

According to another specific feature, the input controller performs apredetermined input in accordance with a change in the relativepositions of the specified first point touch position and the specifiedsecond point touch position in the two-point touch sensed by the sensor.Indicating a combination by a two-point touch and executing input withthe indicated combination are thereby made possible with a simpleoperation. According to a more specific feature, the input controllerperforms a predetermined input due to the specified second point touchposition being dragged to the specified first point touch position inthe two-point touch sensed by the sensor. Input with the combinationindicated by the two-point touch is thereby performed in an easilyunderstandable manner from a sensual aspect as well. A specific exampleof such an input is character input by a combination of consonantelements and vowel elements of characters.

According to another feature, provided is a touch-panel input devicecomprising a touch-panel display screen having display and touch panelfunctions, a display controller for placing touch standard positions ofconsonants of characters and touch standard positions of vowels ofcharacters in the edge portions of the touch-panel display screen, asensor for sensing the touch state on the touch-panel display screen,and an input controller for performing character inputs in accordancewith the touch sensing by the sensor. It is thereby possible to inputcharacters by a combination of fewer elements than direct indication ofcharacters, and the center portion of the touch-panel display screen canbe effectively put into practical application.

According to a specific feature, the display controller places a numerickeypad display in the center portion of the touch-panel display screen.Thus, the touch standard positions of consonants of characters and thetouch standard positions of vowels of characters are placed in the edgeportions of the touch-panel display screen and the numeric keypaddisplay is placed in the center portion of the touch-panel displayscreen, thereby making varied and easy inputs possible utilizing thelimited touch-panel display screen.

According to a more specific feature, the sensor performs numeral inputsby sensing a one-point touch state on the numeric keypad display of thetouch-panel display screen. Thus, combinations of consonants and vowelsof characters are indicated by two-point touches, touch standardpositions are placed in the edge portions of the touch-panel displayscreen, and numerals are indicated by one-point touches on the numerickeypad display, whereby varied inputs can be performed easily. Inrelation to such differentiation of the uses of one-point touches andtwo-point touches, the various features described above can be usedtogether as necessary.

As described above, according to the second technological featuresdisclosed in the specification, it is possible to provide a practicaltouch-panel input device in which a touch panel capable of multi-pointsensing is put into practical application.

<Third Technological Features>

The third technological features disclosed in the specification relateto a touch-panel input device. A problem the third technologicalfeatures intend to solve is to provide a practical touch-panel inputdevice in which a touch panel capable of multi-point sensing is put intopractical application.

To solve this problem, the third technological features disclosed in thespecification provide a touch-panel input device comprising a touchpanel, a sensor for sensing a two-point simultaneous touch state on thetouch panel, and an input controller which has a first input mode forinputting a relative relationship of the two points as information onthe basis of the two-point touch positions sensed by the sensor, and asecond input mode for inputting the absolute positions where the touchesare sensed as information. Varied inputs according to input conditionsare thereby made possible.

According to a specific feature, in the second input mode, the inputcontroller inputs information on the basis of the absolute positions ofthe two points sensed by the sensor. It is thereby possible todifferentiate the uses of the two-point touch information sensed by thesensor as relative relationship information and respective absoluteposition information, in accordance with the respective objectives.Since the information is the relative positions in the first input mode,for example, the same input can be performed when the relativeinformation is the same no matter what portion of the touch panel istouched and inputs that do not need the individual touch positions to beexact can therefore be made; and in the second input mode, according tothe absolute position information of the two points, it is possible toinput two-dimensional absolute position information, such as that of aregion on the touch panel indicated based on the absolute positions ofthe two points, for example.

According to another specific feature, the input controller inputsinformation on the basis of relative changes in the two-point touchpositions sensed by the sensor in the first input mode. According to amore specific feature, in the first input mode, the input controller caninput two types of information regardless of the absolute positions onthe touch panel, on the basis of whether the two-point touch positionssensed by the sensor are moving apart or moving toward each other.

According to another specific feature, in the first input mode, theinput controller inputs information on the basis of the relative gapbetween the two-point touch positions sensed by the sensor. According toa more specific feature, in the first input mode, the input controllercan input two types of information regardless of the absolute positionson the touch panel, on the basis of whether the relative gap between thetwo-point touch positions sensed by the sensor is greater than or lessthan a predetermined gap.

According to another specific feature, the touch panel is configured asa touch-panel display screen having display and touch panel functions.As a preferred example of this configuration, when the touch panel isconfigured as display and input means of an automobile navigation deviceinstalled in a vehicle, the first input mode can be used for inputtinginformation during travel and the second input mode can be put intopractical application for inputting information when the vehicle isstopped. As another preferred example of an instance when the touchpanel is configured as display and input means of an automobilenavigation device installed in a vehicle, the first input mode can beused for the driver to input information and the second input mode canbe put into practical application for a passenger to input information.In either case, the first input mode is preferred as input forpreventing danger, and the second input mode is preferred as input forlarge amounts of information.

According to another feature, provided is a touch-panel input devicecomprising a touch panel, a sensor for sensing a two-point simultaneoustouch state on the touch panel, and an input controller for inputtinginformation on the basis of the relative gap between the two-point touchpositions sensed by the sensor. Input is thereby possible even when therelative information is the same, regardless of the absolute positionsof the touches on the touch panel. According to a more specific feature,the input controller can input two types of information on the basis ofwhether the relative gap between the two-point touch positions sensed bythe sensor is greater than or less than a predetermined gap, regardlessof the absolute positions on the touch panel.

According to a specific feature, the input controller inputs informationon the basis of parallel movement of the two-point touch positionssensed by the sensor. It is thereby possible to reliably input two-stageinformation by a simple movement regardless of the absolute positions onthe touch panel.

According to another feature, provided is a touch-panel input devicecomprising a touch panel, a sensor for sensing a two-point simultaneoustouch state on the touch panel, and an input controller for inputtinginformation on the basis of parallel movement of the two-point touchpositions sensed by the sensor. Inputs that have a simple operation andthat are not susceptible to mistaken operations are thereby madepossible. According to a specific feature, the input controller inputsinformation on the basis of the movement amount of the parallel movementof the two-point touch positions sensed by the sensor. According toanother specific feature, the input controller inputs information on thebasis of the movement speed of the parallel movement of the two-pointtouch positions sensed by the sensor. These specific configurations arecapable of actualizing operations that are simple and that coincide withhuman sensation, and are therefore preferred for performing inputs ofabundant information.

According to another feature, provided is a touch-panel input devicecomprising a touch panel, a sensor for sensing a two-point simultaneoustouch state on the touch panel, and an input controller which has afirst mode for inputting information on the basis of a one-point touchposition sensed by the sensor and a second mode for inputtinginformation on the basis of two-point touch positions sensed by thesensor. It is thereby possible to perform inputs according to variousconditions while taking into consideration the ease of input and theamount of input information.

According to a specific feature, the touch panel is configured asdisplay and input means of an automobile navigation device installed ina vehicle, the first mode is put into practical application forinputting information during travel, and the second mode is put intopractical application for inputting information when the vehicle hasstopped. According to another specific feather of an instance when thetouch panel is configured as display and input means of an automobilenavigation device installed in a vehicle, the first mode is put intopractical application for the driver to input information, and thesecond mode is put into practical application for a passenger to inputinformation. In either case, the first mode is preferred as input forpreventing danger, and the second mode is preferred as input for largeamounts of information.

As described above, according to the third technological featuresdisclosed in the specification, it is possible to provide a practicaltouch-panel input device in which a touch panel capable of multi-pointsensing is put into practical application.

<Fourth Technological Features>

The fourth technological features disclosed in the specification relateto a digital camera. A problem the fourth technological features intendto solve is to provide a practical digital camera which is easilyoperated.

To solve the problem above, the fourth technological features disclosedin the specification provide a digital camera comprising a touch-paneldisplay screen having display and touch panel functions, a zoom lens, animaging part for imaging an optical image by the zoom lens and obtaininga digital image, a display controller for displaying the digital imageobtained by the imaging part on the touch-panel display screen, a touchposition sensor for sensing a two-point simultaneous touch state on thetouch-panel display screen, and a zoom controller for driving the zoomlens on the basis of the two-point touch positions sensed by the touchposition sensor. An easy zoom operation by a touch operation is therebymade possible.

According to a specific feature, the zoom controller drives the zoomlens on the basis of a relative gap between the two-point touchpositions sensed by the touch position sensor. An easy zoom operationthat does not rely on the absolute positions of the touches is therebymade possible. According to a more specific feature, the zoom controllerdrives the zoom lens on the basis of a relative gap in a horizontaldirection between the two-point touch positions sensed by the touchposition sensor. It is thereby possible to perform a zoom operation orthe like with the thumbs of both hands holding the digital camera, forexample.

According to another specific feature, a gravity direction sensor isincluded, and the zoom controller assesses the relative gap in thehorizontal direction between the two-point touch positions sensed by thetouch position sensor on the basis of the sensing of the gravitydirection sensor. It is thereby possible to perform a zoom operation orthe like by the same operation of the thumbs of both hands holding thedigital camera, both when the digital camera having a rectangular screenis taken in both hands in a landscape shooting state and when it istaken in both hands in a portrait shooting state.

According to another specific feature, the zoom controller decides thezoom amount on the basis of the relative gap between the two-point touchpositions sensed by the touch position sensor. A zoom objective ratiocan thereby be set easily. According to another specific feature, thezoom controller sets the zoom direction on the basis of a change in therelative gap between the two-point touch positions sensed by the touchposition sensor. Zooming in and zooming out can thereby be performedeasily in orientations such as the digital camera being held in bothhands. According to another specific feature, the zoom controllerdecides the zoom amount on the basis of the amount of change in therelative gap or the speed of change in the relative gap between thetwo-point touch positions sensed by the touch position sensor. The zoomamount can thereby be decided easily from a sensual aspect as well.

According to another specific feature, the zoom controller drives thezoom lens following a change in the relative gap between the two-pointtouch positions sensed by the touch position sensor. A zoom operationthat follows the movement of the fingers touching the screen is therebymade possible, and zoom operation means preferred for zooming duringvideo shooting can be provided, for example.

According to another specific feature, the zoom controller distinguishesa two-point simultaneous touch as a zoom operation on the basis of thesensing elapse until a two-point simultaneous touch state from aone-point touch sensed by the touch-panel display screen. It is therebypossible to easily perform a zoom operation with a normal intervaloperation based on the intention of a simultaneous touch, even when thetwo points cannot be touched exactly simultaneously and there is someamount of deviation.

According to another specific feature, the zoom controller distinguisheswhether the realization of the two-point simultaneous touch state is azoom operation or a shutter release operation on the basis of thesensing elapse until a two-point simultaneous touch state from aone-point touch sensed by the touch-panel display screen. An example ofa difference of this sensing elapse is a difference of the time durationinterval from the one-point touch until the two-point touch state, forexample, and such a difference makes it possible to distinguish betweena zoom operation in which a two-point simultaneous touch was intendedand a shutter release operation by a second point touch intentionallyperformed subsequently while the first point touch is continued.

According to another feature, there is provided a digital cameracomprising a touch-panel display screen having display and touch panelfunctions, a lens, an imaging part for imaging an optical image by thelens and obtaining a digital image, a display controller for displayingthe digital image obtained by the imaging part on the touch-paneldisplay screen, a touch position sensor for sensing a two-pointsimultaneous touch state on the touch-panel display screen, an imagestorage part, and an imaging controller for storing the image of theimaging part in the image storage part on the basis of the two-pointsimultaneous touch state sensed by the touch position sensor. Theintended imaging can thereby be performed by a touch panel operation.For example, the imaging controller can discern that the one-point touchsensed by the touch position sensor indicates the subject portion andcan store the image acquired by the imaging part by the sensing of thetwo-point simultaneous touch state in the image storage part.

According to another feature, there is provided a digital cameracomprising a touch-panel display screen having display and touch panelfunctions, a zoom lens, an imaging part for imaging an optical image bythe zoom lens and obtaining a digital image, an electronic zoomprocessor for enlarging part of the image obtained by the imaging part,a display controller for displaying the digital image obtained by theelectronic zoom processor on the touch-panel display screen, a touchposition sensor for sensing a touch state on the touch-panel displayscreen, and a zoom controller for controlling the zoom lens and theelectronic zoom processor on the basis of the sensing of the touchposition sensor. Zoom operations can thereby be easily performed fromthe touch-panel display screen in a display controller capable of bothoptical zooming and electronic zooming According to a specific feature,when the zoom controller controls the electronic zoom processor on thebasis of the sensing of the touch position sensor, the zoom speed at theend of zooming is reduced.

According to another feature, there is provided a digital cameracomprising a display screen, a zoom lens, an imaging part for imaging anoptical image by the zoom lens and obtaining a digital image, anelectronic zoom processor for enlarging part of the image obtained bythe imaging part, a display controller for displaying the digital imageprocessed by the electronic zoom processor on the display screen, and azoom controller for controlling the zoom lens and the electronic zoomprocessor and reducing the zoom speed at the end of electronic zoomingwhen the electronic zoom processor is controlled. This makes zoomcontrol possible in which there is no difference in sensation betweenelectronic zooming and optical control. According to a specific feature,the zoom controller does not perform zoom speed reduction at the end ofelectronic zooming in cases in which the zoom lens is controlled incontinuation with the control of the electronic zoom processor. Thedifference in sensation at the end of zooming between electronic zoomingand optical zooming can thereby be diminished and the transition whenoptical zooming continues into electronic zooming can thereby beperformed smoothly.

As described above, according to the fourth technological featuresdisclosed in the specification, an easily operated digital camera can beprovided.

<Fifth Technological Features>

The fifth technological features disclosed in the specification relateto a digital camera. A problem the fifth technological features intendto solve is to provide an easily operated digital camera.

To solve the above problem, the fifth technological features disclosedin the specification provide a digital camera comprising a zoom lens, atouch-panel display screen having display and touch panel functionsparallel with an optical axis of the zoom lens, an imaging part forimaging an optical image by the zoom lens and obtaining a digital image,a display controller for displaying a digital image obtained by theimaging part on the touch-panel display screen, a touch position sensorfor sensing a touch state on the touch-panel display screen, and acontroller for performing control based on a touch position sensed bythe touch position sensor. Due to such a placement in which thetouch-panel display screen is parallel with the optical zoom of the zoomlens, a zoom lens requiring the adequate total optical system length canbe housed in a thin digital camera body.

According to a specific feature, the controller controls the driving ofthe zoom lens when the touch position sensor has sensed sliding of thetouch position on the touch-panel display screen. The placement of thetouch-panel display screen parallel with the optical axis of the zoomlens makes it possible for the drive operation of the zoom lens to beperformed by a movement on a surface parallel with the optical axis ofthe zoom lens, and also makes it possible to avoid camera shake causedby a movement operation in a direction perpendicular to the opticalaxis. According to a more specific feature, the controller controls thedriving of the zoom lens when the touch position sensor has sensedsliding of the touch position in a direction parallel with the zoomlens. According to another specific feature, the controller causes thezoom lens to perform zooming in when the touch position sensor hassensed movement of the touch position forward in parallel with theoptical axis of the zoom lens, and causes the zoom lens to performzooming out when the touch position sensor has sensed movement of thetouch position rearward in parallel with the optical axis. Thesefeatures make zoom operations possible that are easily understoodintuitively.

According to another specific feature, the controller causes a shutterrelease to be performed based on sensing of a two-point simultaneoustouch state by the touch position sensor. Mistaken operations canthereby be avoided and a shutter release operation can be performedwithin a natural flow. According to a more specific feature, thecontroller causes a shutter release to be performed when the touchposition sensor has sensed the movement of at least one touch in atwo-point simultaneous touch state. The possibility of a mistakenoperation can thereby be reduced, and due to the shutter release by amovement on a surface parallel with the optical axis of the zoom lens,it is possible to avoid camera shake during a shutter release performedby a movement operation in a direction perpendicular to the opticalaxis.

According to another feature, provided is a digital camera comprising azoom lens, a touch-panel display screen having display and touch panelfunctions, an imaging part for imaging an optical image by the zoom lensand obtaining a digital image, a display controller for displaying adigital image obtained by the imaging part on the touch-panel displayscreen, a touch position sensor for sensing a touch state on thetouch-panel display screen, and a controller for performing apredetermined control on the basis of the sensing of sliding of thetouch position by the touch position sensor. Such operations based onthe sensing of sliding of the touch position are more beneficial interms of preventing camera shake and preventing mistaken operations thanoperations at the time point of a touch that causes impact perpendicularto the touch-panel display screen.

According to a specific feature, the controller controls the driving ofthe zoom lens when the touch position sensor has sensed sliding of thetouch position on the touch-panel display screen. More specifically, thecontroller controls the driving of the zoom lens when the touch positionsensor has sensed sliding of the touch position in a direction parallelwith the optical axis of the zoom lens. Zoom operations are thereby madepossible that are easily understood intuitively. According to a morespecific feature, the controller causes a shutter release to beperformed when the touch position sensor has sensed sliding of the touchposition on the touch-panel display screen. The possibility of mistakenoperations can thereby be reduced, and the possibility of camera shakecan be reduced by a shutter release caused by movement of a finger onthe touch-panel display screen.

According to another feature, there is provided a digital cameracomprising an imaging optical system, a display screen, an imaging partfor imaging an optical image by the imaging optical system and obtaininga digital image, a display controller for displaying a digital imageobtained by the imaging part on the touch-panel display screen, agravity sensor, a storage part for storing the digital image obtained bythe imaging part, and a storage controller for appending informationrelating to the optical axis direction of the imaging optical systemsensed by the gravity sensor to the digital image and storing the imagewith the information in the storage part. Due to the information of theshooting direction of the digital camera being appended to the digitalimage and stored, the information can be beneficial when the digitalimage is viewed.

According to a specific feature, the digital camera further comprises astorage controller for appending information relating to the directivityof the display screen sensed by the gravity sensor to the digital imageand storing the image with the information in the storage part. Thereby,particularly when the optical axis is nearly horizontal, angleinformation of the display screen around the optical axis can be madeinto information of benefit when the digital image is viewed bycombining information of the optical axis direction and the informationof the display screen directivity in such a state.

More specifically, the storage controller appends information relatingto the optical axis direction of the imaging optical system and thedisplay screen directivity sensed by the gravity sensor to a digitalimage as either landscape screen shooting information or portrait screenshooting information. It is thereby possible, when the digital image isplayed back in a digital photo frame, for example, to automatically playback the information image in an erect state during both landscapescreen shooting and portrait screen shooting.

According to another specific feature, the storage controller appendsinformation relating to the optical axis direction of the imagingoptical system sensed by the gravity sensor to a digital image asupward-downward information of the image. It is thereby possible, whenthe digital image is played back in a digital photo frame, for example,to automatically play back the information image in an erect stateparticularly when portrait screen shooting is performed, whether it beshooting with the digital camera tilted 90 degrees to the right from thenormal landscape screen shooting state or shooting with the digitalcamera tilted 90 degrees to the left.

According to a more specific feature, the optical axis of the imagingoptical system is configured so as to be parallel with the displayscreen. Such a configuration is suitable for “waist-level” shooting, butshooting with differentiation between landscape screen shooting andportrait screen shooting is not possible as long as the display screenis performing shooting in a nearly horizontal state. When landscapescreen shooting has been performed with the display screen in a nearlyhorizontal state, for example, there is a need for the display screen tobe tilted in a nearly vertical state in order to perform portrait screenshooting. Consequently, information relating to the optical axisdirection according to the gravitational acceleration sensor andinformation relating to the display screen directivity are beneficial asinformation indicating the erect directions of the digital images shotin these various conditions.

As described above, according to the first technological featuresdisclosed in the specification, an easily operated digital camera can beprovided.

<Sixth Technological Features>

The sixth technological features disclosed in the specification relateto a touch-panel input device capable of two-point sensing. A problemthe sixth technological features intend to solve is to provide apractical touch-panel input device in which a touch panel capable oftwo-point sensing is put into practical application.

To solve the above problem, the sixth technological features disclosedin the specification provide a touch-panel input device capable oftwo-point sensing comprising a touch-panel display screen having displayand touch panel functions, and an input controller for performinginformation input on the basis of a relative position relationship of afirst direction component of the positions of the two points touchedsimultaneously on the touch-panel display screen, a relative positionrelationship of a second direction component different from the firstdirection component, and time duration information relating to thetouches of the two points. This enables information input that yieldsthe two-point sensing capability. According to a specific feature, thetouch-panel display screen has a rectangular shape, the first directioncomponent is a direction parallel with one edge of the rectangularshape, and the second direction component is a direction parallel withanother edge perpendicular to the first edge.

According to another specific feature, the input controller performsinput control on the basis of the relative size relationship of eitherthe first direction component or the second direction component of thetwo points at the same time instant. This enables input based on theup-down relationship or the left-right relationship of the two points,for example, and also enables input that does not rely on the exactabsolute positions of the two points because these relationships arerelative.

According to another specific feature, the input controller performsinput control on the basis of the point-to-point relative distance atthe same time instant. This enables input based on the distance of thetwo points that does not depend on direction, and also enables inputthat does not rely on the exact absolute positions of the two pointsbecause the relative distance is information.

According to a more specific feature, the input of the input controllerbased on the either the first direction component or second directioncomponent of the two points or the point-to-point relative distance atthe same time instant is confirmed when the positions of the two pointsdo not change for a predetermined time duration. It is thereby possibleto prevent unforeseen input when two points are mistakenly touched, andto perform input when the touch positions of the two points areintentionally maintained without moving for a predetermined timeduration.

According to another feature, the input controller performs input basedon the absolute positions of the two points and changes in the relativepositions of the two points that occur with the elapse of a timeduration from the absolute positions, and also based on a combination ofthe absolute positions of the two points. It is thereby possible toreliably create a combination of the absolute positions of the twopoints that decides the input information, and to reliably execute theinput thereof. According to a more specific feature, the inputcontroller when the second point position changes with the first pointas a fulcrum, the input controller senses this as a change in therelative positions of the two points that occurs with the elapse of thetime duration.

According to another feature, the input controller performs inputcontrol based on a two-point touch when the two-point touch is sensedwith a predetermined time duration, and also performs input controldifferent from the input control based on the two-point touch when thetime duration in which the second point touch is sensed exceeds apredetermined time duration following the sensing of the first pointtouch. It is thereby possible to perform input based on the two-pointtouch even when the two points are not touched exactly simultaneously,and to perform input separate from the two-point simultaneous touch withthe first point touch and the second point touch. More specifically, theinput controller performs input control different from the input controlof the first point touch on the basis of the second point touch when thetime duration in which the second point touch is sensed exceeds apredetermined time duration following the sensing of the first pointtouch. Mistaken operations can be eliminated and inputs betterconforming to the intent of the operator can be performed when apredetermined time duration deemed as a two-point touch and apredetermined time duration for performing a separate input from thefirst point touch with the second point touch are set so as to bedifferent.

According to another feature of the present invention, the inputcontroller performs input control based on a two-point touch on thebasis of the sensing of parallel movement of the two points that occurswith elapse of a time duration. Input by a two-point operation canthereby be performed in a state in which the load of the operation isnot borne by the hand. According to a more specific feature, the inputcontroller performed input control based on a two-point touch on thebasis of the relative positions of the two points at the same timeinstant and the sensing of parallel movement that occurs with the elapseof a time duration. The two-point relative position information whichdecides the input information and execution of the input can thereby beperformed reliably.

According to another feature, the input controller performs inputcontrol on the basis of a change in the relative relationship of eithera first component or a second component of the two points that occurswith the elapse of a time duration. It is thereby possible to performinput easily due to the change in the relative relationship in eitherthe one-dimensional first direction component or the second directioncomponent even when the two-dimensional positions of the two points arenot exact.

According to another feature, the input controller performs inputcontrol on the basis of the direction of change in the relativerelationship of the first direction component of the two points thatoccurs with the elapse of a time duration and the direction of change inthe relative relationship of the second direction component of the twopoints that occurs with the elapse of a time duration being reversed. Itis thereby possible to perform input by an action of twisting the touchpositions of the two points.

As a more specific example of the sensing of a twisting action of thetouch positions of the two points described above, the input controllerperforms circular input control when the direction of change in therelative relationship of the first direction component of the two pointsthat occurs with the elapse of a time duration and the direction ofchange in the relative relationship of the second direction component ofthe two points that occurs with the elapse of a time duration arereversed. It is thereby possible to perform a circular input by anatural action of drawing an arc with two fingers. According to anotherspecific feature, the input controller uses the relative distancebetween the two points touched at a predetermined time point as adiameter of a circle. It is thereby possible, after the diameter hasbeen established by first touching two points, for example, to input acircle by drawing a much shorter circle. This is a far more efficientand easier input means than drawing and inputting a circle with onefinger.

As described above, according to the sixth technological featuresdisclosed in the specification, it is possible to provide a touch-panelinput device in which various useful information inputs are possible andoperations are intuitive and easy.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention can be applied to a touch-panel input deviceinstalled in an automobile navigation device of a vehicle, or atouch-panel input device installed in a digital camera or the like (forexample, a touch-panel input device for performing a zoom operation orthe like of a digital camera), for example. The present invention canalso be applied to a digital camera or the like having a touch-panelinput device.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

12 Touch panel

4, 204, 404 Input controller

12, 212 Touch panel (touch-panel display screen)

4, 10, 204, 210, 404 Display controller

4, 204 Sensor

4 Distinguishing part

64 Consonant of character

66 Vowel of character

76 Numeric keypad button

2 Automobile navigation device

470, 404 Zoom controller

472 Gravity direction sensor

258 Image storage part

204, 404 Imaging controller

256, 404 Electronic zoom processor

252, 452, 652 Lens (zoom lens)

653 Optical axis

612 Touch-panel display screen

254 Imaging part

404, 210 Display controller

212, 404 Touch position sensor

404 Controller

472 Gravity direction sensor

258 Storage part

404 Storage controller

252, 452, 652 Imaging optical system

212, 612 Display screen

1. A touch-panel input device comprising a touch panel, and an inputcontroller for sensing a two-point touch on the touch panel in either atwo-point touch input sensing mode for a right hand suitable for theplacement of right fingers or a two-point touch input sensing mode for aleft hand suitable for the placement of left fingers, the inputcontroller being capable of switching between the two input sensingmodes.
 2. The touch-panel input device according to claim 1, wherein thetouch panel is configured as a touch-panel display screen having displayand touch panel functions; and the touch panel has a display controllerfor providing the touch-panel display screen a left hand two-point touchinput screen suitable for the placement of right fingers and a left handtwo-point touch input screen suitable for the placement of left fingers,correspondingly with respect to the two-point touch input sensing modefor the right hand and the two-point touch input sensing mode for theleft hand.
 3. The touch-panel input device according to claim 1, whereinthe input controller performs input on the basis of the sensing of twopoints in which a line joining the two points has a left downward slantin the two-point touch input sensing mode for the right hand, andperforms input on the basis of the sensing of two points in which a linejoining the two points has a right downward slant in the two-point touchinput sensing mode for the left hand.
 4. The touch-panel input deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the input controller switches between thetwo-point touch input sensing mode for the right hand and the two-pointtouch input sensing mode for the left hand, on the basis of distinctioninformation.
 5. The touch-panel input device according to claim 4,wherein the input controller designates whether the line joining the twosensed points has a left downward slant or a right downward slant asdistinction information.
 6. The touch-panel input device according toclaim 1, wherein the input controller performs a different input on thebasis of two-point sensing information in the two-point touch inputsensing mode for the right hand and the two-point touch input sensingmode for the left hand.
 7. The touch-panel input device according toclaim 6, wherein the input controller inputs point-to-point relativeposition information on the basis of the two-point sensing informationin either one of the two-point touch input sensing mode for the righthand and the two-point touch input sensing mode for the left hand, andinputs absolute position information of the two points in the othermode.
 8. A touch-panel input device comprising a touch-panel displayscreen having display and touch panel functions, a display controllerfor providing the touch-panel display screen with a right-hand two-pointtouch input screen suitable for the placement of right fingers and aleft-hand two-point touch input screen suitable for the placement ofleft fingers, and a sensor for sensing two-point touches on thetouch-panel display screen.
 9. The touch-panel input device according toclaim 8, wherein the display controller provides the right-handtwo-point touch input screen on the basis of the sensing of two pointsin which a line joining the two points sensed by the sensor has a leftdownward slant, and provides the left-hand two-point touch input screenon the basis of the sensing of two points in which a line joining thetwo points sensed by the sensor has a right downward slant.
 10. Atouch-panel input device comprising a touch panel, a sensor for sensinga two-point touch on the touch panel, and a distinction part fordistinguishing whether a line joining the two points sensed by thesensor has a left downward slant or a right downward slant.
 11. Thetouch-panel input device according to claim 10, comprising an inputcontroller for performing an input differing on the basis of the sensedtwo points according to whether the line joining the sensed two pointshas a left downward slant or a right downward slant, according to thedistinction part.
 12. The touch-panel input device according to claim11, wherein the input controller inputs point-to-point relative positioninformation on the basis of two-point sensing information in either oneof the cases of the line joining the sensed two points having a leftdownward slant or a right downward slant, according to the distinctionpart; and the input controller inputs absolute position information ofthe two points in the other case.
 13. The touch-panel input deviceaccording to claim 11, wherein the input controller prohibits apredetermined input in either one of the cases of the line joining thesensed two points having a left downward slant or a right downwardslant, according to the distinction part.
 14. The touch-panel inputdevice according to claim 10, wherein the touch panel is configured as atouch-panel display screen having display and touch panel functions, thetouch-panel input device comprising a display controller for prohibitinga predetermined display in the touch-panel display screen in either oneof the cases of the line joining the sensed two points having a leftdownward slant or a right downward slant, according to the distinctionpart.
 15. The touch-panel input device according to claim 2, wherein theinput controller performs input on the basis of the sensing of twopoints in which a line joining the two points has a left downward slantin the two-point touch input sensing mode for the right hand, andperforms input on the basis of the sensing of two points in which a linejoining the two points has a right downward slant in the two-point touchinput sensing mode for the left hand.
 16. The touch-panel input deviceaccording to claim 15, wherein the input controller switches between thetwo-point touch input sensing mode for the right hand and the two-pointtouch input sensing mode for the left hand, on the basis of distinctioninformation.
 17. The touch-panel input device according to claim 16,wherein the input controller designates whether the line joining the twosensed points has a left downward slant or a right downward slant asdistinction information.
 18. The touch-panel input device according toclaim 17, wherein the input controller performs a different input on thebasis of two-point sensing information in the two-point touch inputsensing mode for the right hand and the two-point touch input sensingmode for the left hand.
 19. The touch-panel input device according toclaim 18, wherein the input controller inputs point-to-point relativeposition information on the basis of the two-point sensing informationin either one of the two-point touch input sensing mode for the righthand and the two-point touch input sensing mode for the left hand, andinputs absolute position information of the two points in the othermode.
 20. The touch-panel input device according to claim 10,comprising: an input controller for performing an input differing on thebasis of the sensed two points according to whether the line joining thesensed two points has a left downward slant or a right downward slant,according to the distinction part, wherein the input controller inputspoint-to-point relative position information on the basis of two-pointsensing information in either one of the cases of the line joining thesensed two points having a left downward slant or a right downwardslant, according to the distinction part; and the input controllerinputs absolute position information of the two points in the othercase, wherein the input controller prohibits a predetermined input ineither one of the cases of the line joining the sensed two points havinga left downward slant or a right downward slant, according to thedistinction part, and wherein the touch panel is configured as atouch-panel display screen having display and touch panel functions, thetouch-panel input device further comprising a display controller forprohibiting a predetermined display in the touch-panel display screen ineither one of the cases of the line joining the sensed two points havinga left downward slant or a right downward slant, according to thedistinction part.